CO 


SERTRjVD  SMITES 

BOOK  S?'V;;?  " 

wo  P.I  c  /  *  /  c  /i  • '  /  wv  r/e 

LONG  BLA(  a    C'\  !  rK. 


A  FRONTIER  ROMANCE. 


MAPLE   EANGE. 


BY 

EDNA  A.  BARNARD. 


"That  we  may  lift  from  out  of  dust, 

A  voice  as  unto  him  that  hears. 
A  cry  above  the  conquered  years." 


CHICAGO  : 

HENRY  A.  SUMNER  &   CO.,   PUBLISHERS. 
1882. 


COPTKIGHT, 

HENKT  A.  SUMNEK  &  Co., 
1882. 


E.  B.  DONNELLEY  A  SONS,  A.   J.   COX  A  CO. 

PBINTEB8.  BINDERS. 


TO 

MY    CHILDREN, 

THESE  PAGES  ARK  OFFERED,  BY 

YOUR  MOTHER, 

PARTLY  AS  AN  EXPRESSION  OF  LOVE,  AND  PARTLY 
THROUGH  GBATITCDE. 


CONTENTS 


CHAPTER  I. 

PAGE. 

THE  MAPLES,  ...         9 

CHAPTER  II. 
FOREST  DAYS,  48 

CHAPTER  III. 
SHADOWS,  -       82 

CHAPTER  IV. 

THE  LOVER'S  STRATEGY,  -     108 

CHAPTER  V. 

»• 

MARTIAL  STRAINS,       -  -  -      151 

CHAPTER  VI. 
A  FAREWELL  VISIT,  179 

CHAPTER   VII. 
IN  THE  NET,    -  -      189 

CHAPTER  VIII. 
THE  MASSACRE,      -  205 

CHAPTER  IX. 
To  Wm  OR  LOSE,  -  -  -      218 

CHAPTER  X. 
A  FORTUNATE  MEETING,  227 

(vli) 


Vlll  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER  XI. 

TAGK. 

THE  RETURN  HOME,  245 

CHAPTER    XII. 
THE  SEPARATION  23? 

CHAPTER  XIII. 
A  MOTHER'S  STRATEGY,  -      264 

CHAPTER  XIV. 
"I  TOLD  You  So,"  275 

CHAPTER  XV 

Two  RECOGNITIONS,  289 

CHAPTER  XVI. 
CHECKMATED,  311 

CHAPTER  XVII. 
RESTORATION,  ....      339 

CHAPTER  XVIII. 
HEART'S-EASE,  -  -  364 

CHAPTER  XIX, 
MIANNETTA'S  STORY,  -      383 

CHAPTER    XX. 
READING  THE  WILL,  -  419 

CHAPTER   XXI. 
THE  WEDDINGS,          -  ....     437 


MAPLE     RANGE. 


CHAPTER    I. 

THE   MAPLES. 

"The  liberal  board  for  welcome  stranger  spread." 

"TTTHOA!     Hold   on,  Nellie!     Don't    you   see 

V  V  here  is  the  winning  tree,  and  you  are  past 
it  ever  so  much  ?  " 

"Yes,  Robbie,  but  we  came  so  suddenly  upon  the 
tree,  galloping  round  that  old  Indian  mound,  that  I 
could  not  stop  my  pony  at  once.  Yonder  is  home, 
too,  and  allow  me  to  quote  from  my  old  text-book, 
'  At  the  right  hand  I  descry  the  dark  blue'  waters  of 
an  inland  sea.'  I  was  ahead  at  the  tree.  I  won  the 
race ! " 

"  Yes,  you  are  the  winner,  and  I  am  as  ready  to 
meet  the  consequences  and  pay  up,  as  I  would  be 
exacting  if  old  Deacon  had  been  more  fleet.  Let 's 
see  !  I  was  to  row  you  across  Lake  Loui,  Nellie, 
and  so  I  will  tie  the  horses,  and  leave  them  here  in 
the  shade  till  we  come  back.  Whoa,  Sampson  !  you 
savage  !  A  girl's  pony  ought  to  be  less  ready  to  show 
bite.  Whoa  !  I  say." 

"Now,  don't  be  cross  with  my  pony;  he  thinks 
it  time  for  something  to  eat  after  that  race." 

"  He  can't  dine  off  me  if  he  is  hungry  ;  I  need 
U 


10  MAPLE   RANGE. 

my  own  shoulder  to  carry  my  gun,  and  if  divided 
with  him,  we  should  all  fare  poorly  for  game,  I  think. 
He  likes  post  meat,  and  he  may  eat  this  tree,  bark 
and  all,  and  welcome. 

'  Come  and  glide  along  the  tide, 
And  sing  to  tuning  oar.'  " 

"There's  not  an  oar  here,  brother,  and  the  boat 
is  half  full  of  water.  How  about  our  afternoon 
sail  ? » 

"  Oh,  that  is  certain  enough.  I  shall  bail  out  the 
boat  with  my  old  straw  hat,  and  show  you  how  old 
Mock-ane-sah  propels  a  dug-out  independently  of  oars. 
I  can  take  you  over  the  lake  in  a  jiffy,  and  make  you 
just  as  proud  of  me,  as  if  I  was  really  an  Indian, 
instead  of  being  only  an  Indian's  pupil  in  the  art  of 
boating. " 

' '  And  whose  pupil  in  the  art  of  bragging,  eh  ? " 

"Nobody's;  that  is  not  an  acquisition.  Blowing 
is  just  as  natural  as  winking." 

"  I  know  it  is,  with  big  things,  such  as  whales  and 
the  wind,  but  somehow  I  never  thought  you — 

"There,  now  the  water  is  out!  Nellie,  jump  in 
and  take  a  seat  well  forward,  so  as  to  give  plenty 
space  for  the  shifting  of  my  birchen  propeller.  Away 
we  go ! " 

"O  goodness  me  !  we  shall  surely  roll  over.  See 
how  the  awful  thing  tips  !  We  shall  be  drowned,  I 
know  we  shall !  Stop  and  let  me  jump  out !  I  will 
get  out — right  here  !  " 

"  How  much  better  is  it  to  jump  into  water  than 
to  tip  in,  I  should  like  to  ask  ?  When  you  get  a  little 
more  placid,  tell  me.  In  any  case  you  are  sure  of  a 


THE  MAPLES.  11 

good  ducking.  But  don't  be  scared,  little  sister ;  we 
are  not  going  over.  If  you  sit  still  and  keep  cool, 
you  are  all  right  in  my  boat.  There,  is  n't  that  nice, 
now  2 " 

"  Splendid  !  But  why  don't  you  sing,  my  brave 
poler  ?  " 

"Sing  !  Yes,  that 's  appropriate  ;  but  what  shall 
I  sing  ?  '  Swiftly  glides  my  bonny  boat  ? ' ' 

' '  Not  that  song,  in  a  dug-out !  Let 's  sing  together 
something  more  in  keeping  with  the  style  of  our  craft." 

"Will  you  sing,  too  ?  " 

"  Gladly.     I  feel  just  like  singing." 

A  sweet,  thin,  girlish  pipe  and  a  youth's  fresh 
voice,  something  between  a  woman's  treble  and  a 
man's  falsetto,  bear  up  the  boatman's  well-known  air. 

' '  '  Push  along,  boys,  push  along,  boys. 

Merrily,  cheerily,  push  along  ! 
And  whilst  our  prow  makes  merry  music, 

We  '11,  too,  raise  the  song. 
Each  to  his  pole,  boys,  bend  to  each  pole,  boys, 

And  whilst  the  waters  ripple  round  us. 

We  '11,  too,  raise  the  song.'  " 

"How  clear  the  water  is,  Robbie!  I  believe  I 
could  reach  the  bottom,  and  get  a  handful  of  pebbles, 
if  you  would  not  shove  along  at  such  a  rate." 

"Don't  try  that,  Nell !  Those  pebbles,  that  look 
now  so  near,  are  many  feet  below  the  surface.  'T  is 
refraction  makes  them  seem  so  near.  This  boat 
requires  an  equilibrium  of  ballast.  You  are  safe 
enough,  if  you  sit  still  ;  but  if  you  lean  over  the  side, 
we  shall  capsize.  It  is  necessary  to  keep  your  per- 


12  MAPLE   RANGE. 

pendicular  while  navigating  this  inland  sea,  in  an  out 
landish  craft." 

"Why  don't  you  post  that  caution  in  some  con 
spicuous  place  in  your  cabin  ?  The  safety  of  the 
traveling  public  demands  it." 

"Oh,  I  prefer  repeating  it  to  my  passengers,  and 
getting  up  a  reputation  as  a  sociable,  attentive  and 
jolly  sea-captain,  who  looks  to  the  safety  and  comfort 
of  those  who  sail  with  him,  while  he  spins  yarns  and 
sings  for  their  entertainment." 

"  But  do  you  ever  transport  mermaids  in  your 
old  canoe  ? " 

"Both  out  of  date." 

"Both  what?" 

"Why,  transportation  as  a  penalty,  and  the  queer 
water-women  you  mention — that  makes  two,  don't  it  ?  " 

"I  s'pose  ;  but  say,  are  those  mounds,  so  thick 
upon  the  shore,  the  graves  of  the  obsolete  mermen 
and  maidens  ? " 

"Oh,  those  are  not  graves  of  the  dead  ;  they  are 
homes  of  the  living.  They  are  muskrat  houses,  with 
hollow  runways  beneath  the  shore.  There  are  some 
of  my  traps  which  I'll  take  along,  and  bring  out 
again  when  fur  is  prime." 

"  What  a  lovely  cove  at  our  right.  I  wish  we 
could  explore  it — so  sheltered,  dark  and  cool !  " 

"  I'll  just  cut  a  pigeon  wing  with  the  dug-out  and  we 
will  go  clear  up  that  arm  of  the  lake.  Here  is  where 
we  killed  the  doe,  last  week,  and  captured  her  fawn. 
'T  was  a  mistake.  Father  did  not  mean  to  kill  a  deer 
this  time  of  year — was  fire-hunting  for  other  game. 
I  wish  you  could,  or  would  come  with  us  some  night. 


THE    MAPLES.  13 

I  know  you  would  be  charmed  with  lamp-lit  views 
of  green  trees  and  still  waters,  the  night  sending  back 
the  rays  of  light,  and  perhaps,  of  a  great  antlered 
buck,  standing  out  bold  and  beautiful  on  the  margin 
of  the  bay,  his  eyes  blinded  by  the  unaccustomed  bril 
liancy,  turning  toward  strange  sounds.  I  will  push  to 
deeper  water  over  there,  and  show  you  where  I  caught 
the  curiously  mustached  pout,  armed  with  his  danger 
ous  dagger,  the  other  night.  I  told  you  how  mourn 
fully  the  loon  cried,  and  you  thought  fishing  at  night 
must  be  dismal  work  ;  but  I  like  it. " 

"Oh,  show  me  where  you  find  trout.  " 

' '  Directly.     Let 's  sing  again. " 

Over  the  waves  and  among  the  interlacing  trees, 
leaps  and  creeps  the  batteau  man's  song,  "  Push 
along,  boys,"  while  rapidly  is  ascended  the  long 
watery  avenue.  Suddenly  Robert  cries  :  "Bend  low 
now  !  This  vicious  willow  took  hold  of  me,  Absalom- 
fashion,  once.  It  guards  the  mouth  of  Willow  Run, 
a  little  brook  that  has  no  self-assertion,  or  impor 
tance.  But  here,  a  little  more  demonstrative,"  he 
added  a  moment  later,  "  is  Dimple  Run.  Bend  while 
we  pass  the  pikes  of  defense  ;  now  we  are  in  the 
deepest,  though  "narrowest,  channel  of  the  stream— 
my  favorite  haunt,  where  I  decoy  the  speckled  trout." 

"  What  makes  the  water  look  so  green  ?  Don't 
dip  your  hat  in  it !  " 

"I  want  to  show  you  how  mistaken  you  are.  The 
water  is  as  clear  as  crystal.  See  !  In  my  hat,  it  is 
not  green,  but  clear  and  pure  and  cool  as  in  our 
own  spring  at  home.  The  appearance  of  deep  green 
is  caused  by  the  water-cress  that  covers  the  bottom, 


14  MAPLE    RANGE. 

and  affords  a  lurking-place  for  the  most  delicate  and 
dainty  fish  that  is  beguiled  by  the  angler,  which  in  turn 
beguiles  the  epicure." 

u  This  place  is  growing  really  dark  and  lonesome, 
Robert.  If  you  would  only  go  back  now  !  I  am 
afraid,  it  is  so  still  here,  with  the  rushes  and  alders  so 
thick  and  high  upon  the  bank.  I  shudder  as  I  fancy 
some  huge,  wild  creature,  man  or  beast,  crouched 
low  in  that  tangled  growth,  ready  to  pick  me  out  of 
the  canoe.  Most  terrible  now  comes  the  thought,  we 
can't  turn  round,  the  brook  is  so  narrow.  What  will 
we  do  with  this  great  long  unwieldy  log,  our  only 
method  of  escape,  and  that  useless  to  return." 

' '  Don't  go  distracted  over  nothing,  you  foolish 
little  puss  !  There  is  nothing  to  be  afraid  of.  Every 
bush  and  willow  on  the  bank  are  friends  of  mine, 
and  consequently  yours.  I  will  go  back  with  you 
certainly,  you  look  so  scared  and  white  ;  but  as 
to  turning  the  boat  round,  that  is  not  necessary.  Our 
barge  is  like  a  craw-fish  ;  will  go  as  well  one  way  as 
the  other.  The  propeller  only  has  to  change  ends." 

"  Oh,  I  comprehend.  You  stand  on  your  head, 
going  back ! " 

"That  laughing  relieves  me,- Nell  !  I  am  sure 
your  fright  is  past,  and  I  grant  you  license  to  make 
the  woods  ring  with  your  fun,  though  I  generally 
caution  my  passengers  not  to  poke  fun  at,  or  '  sass ' 
the  commander,  while  they  still  have  to  cross  the 
high  seas  with  him." 

' '  Thanks,  for  the  courteous  exception  in  my  favor. 
Still,  I  think  I  will  defer  all  indecorum  of  spirits  till 
we  have  crossed  the  '  still  and  silent  lake.'  " 


THE   MAPLES.  15 

"Now  we  are  once  more  on  the  bosom  of  Lake 
Loui,  I  will  sit  down  and  rest  my  pole  while  enjoy 
ing  with  you  a  tranquil  float  on  this  enchanted 
wave.  Look  up,  Nellie,  and  look  again  below.  See 
how,  at  rest,  we  seem  to  hang  between  two  equally 
distant  and  curving  skies.  I  have  floated  this  way 
alone  hundreds  of  times.  This  spot,  which  makes 
me  seem  an  atom  with  no  visible  relation,  has  a 
peculiar  attraction  for  me.  I  am  always  so  happy 
here,  I  could  muse  and  sing  and  float  forever  !  I 
sometimes  think,  by  a  little  study,  I  could  learn  to 
read  marvelous  things.  Looking  down  into  the 
lower  sky,  where  the  white  clouds  glide,  one  from 
below  another,  are  the  slow-sliding  leaves  of  a  great 
manuscript.  Look  closely,  Nellie.  They  unfold  for 
us  either  a  poem,  a  revelation,  or  a  prophecy." 

"We  had  better  consult  the  sun,  which  lays  a 
command  upon  us  to  hunt  up  our  horses  and  hurry 
home." 

"A  very  sensible  command,  too  !  My  inner  con 
science  enjoins  absolute  obedience,  as  I  believe  it 's  a 
commandment,  with  promise  of  supper,  and — true  as 
I  live,  a  long  walk  for  me.  Old  Deacon  has  slipped 
his  bridle  and  gone  home  without  me  !  " 

"Well,  what  of  that?  Sampson  carried  off  the 
gates  of  Gaza,  and  his  namesake  ought  to  be  able  to 
carry  double. 

"All  right!  I  will  ride  with  you,  Nellie,  and  we 
won't  be  long  going  home." 

The  speaker  was,  perhaps,  fifteen  years  old,  large 
of  his  age,  and  of  bright  intellect.  Well-trained 


16  MAPLE    RANGE. 

thought  lent  a  luster  to  his  eyes,  and  spread  its  grace 
over  his  handsome  face. 

His  companion  was  a  lovely  girl,  many  years  his 
junior  ;  fair  of  face,  so  pearly  in  tint  and  delicate  in 
outline  that,  but  for  a  gaiety  of  manner  amounting  to 
playfulness,  you  would  have  called  her  spirituelle. 
She  was  a  fragile,  wavering,  half-timid  vine,  clinging 
to  sturdier  natures.  But  fragile  as  she  was,  her  very 
clinging  strengthened  and  ennobled  her  brother,  who, 
adventurous  and  daring  to  a  fault,  became  gentle  and 
thoughtful  as  a  girl,  in  her  companionship.  Looking 
with  his  clear  blue  eyes  into  her  own  as  blue,  he 
would  talk  of  her  flowers,  or  listen  to  the  curious 
dreams  she  had  a  charming  way  of  relating,  for 
getful  that  other  companionship  would  be  desirable. 
These  two,  all  in  all  to  each  other,  were  the  only 
children  of  the  only  white  settler  in  a  new,  unculti 
vated  region,  the  then  frontier  of  Minnesota.  Their 
father,  Mr.  James  Maynard,  an  English  gentleman  of 
means,  had  settled  recently  in  plain  sight  of  Lake 
Loui,  though  a  goodly  two  miles  away.  Look 
you  directly  north  from  the  lake,  across  the  green, 
billowy  prairie,  whose  grasses  sweep  to  the  foot  of 
an  upland  that  rises  abruptly,  and  then  spreads  out  to 
a  table,  broad  and  magnificent.  This  table  was  orig 
inally  heavily  timbered  ;  but  the  larger  trees  have 
been  cut  down,  leaving  a  fine  grove  as  great  pro 
tection  against  the  furious  snows  and  winds  that 
often  threaten  to  overwhelm  the  traveler.  North  of 
this  table  another  rises,  and  another  of  less  depth 
and  more  inclination,  which  retains  also  much  of 
the  forest  growth  of  maples,  and  presents  a  beautiful 


THE   MAPLES.  17 

outline  as  it  stretches  back.  At  the  distance  of 
half  a  mile,  the  timber  grows  moro  dense,  forming  a 
right  royal  crown  to  this  commanding  eminence,  and 
is  the  commencement  of  a  maple  forest  of  many 
miles  extent.  A  double  log  house  stands  (or  did, 
at  the  time  our  story  commences)  on  the  first-men 
tioned,  or  lowest  table-land,  midway  in  the  maple 
grove.  Its  new  shining  roof  was  a  land-mark  by 
day,  and  its  lighted  Avindows  beacons  by  night,  to  the 
chance  pilgrim  along  the  territorial  road.  This  road 
followed  Lake  Loui's  western  shore,  a  mile  or  more 
perhaps,  then,  keeping  due  north  across  its  outlet 
turned  east  at  the  foot  of  the  first  plateau,  con 
tinuing  at  its  base,  and  following  its  contour  to 
the  entrance  of  a  ravine,  which  led  up  to  the  high 
land  of  the  maple  forest ;  then  stretched  away  on 
through  the  wood  to  an  old  stockade,  built  long  ago 
for  Indian  defense,  but  now  in  decay. 

In  the  vicinity  of  the  lake,  nature  has  been  par 
ticularly  lavish  of  noble  views.  The  one  from  the 
lake  of  the  twin  plateaus,  the  new  home  in  the  grove 
nestled  up  to  the  bosom  of  a  high  forest.  Looking 
eastward  over  an  immense  prairie  under  certain  atmo 
spheric  conditions  you  will  see  the  blue  waves  of  a 
lake,  fifteen  miles  away.  Nearer,  your  eye  may  trace 
the  sinuous  course,  and  in  some  places  you  may  even 
see  the  waters,  of  Dimple  Run,  as  it  comes  down 
from  its  forest  source,  threading  the  prairie  and  con 
tributing  its  liquid  wealth  to  the  picturesque  Lake 
Loui. 

When  this  eastern  view  palls  the   senses,    bend 
your  gaze  upon  that  smooth  prairie  directly  south, 
B          1* 


18  MAPLE    RANGE. 

and  thank  heaven  for  the  blessedness  of  vision  that 
embraces  not  only  the  prairie  but  the  lake  and 
forest  beyond,  as  an  emerald  frame,  reflected  in  the 
deep  crystal  mirror. 

A  sunset  mist  often  hangs  over  the  outlet  of  Lake 
Loui,  as  it  creeps  down  toward  the  west,  and  the 
delicious  languor  of  the  vine-clad  hills  of  Italy  is  re 
peated  in  the  atmosphere  of  this  broad  valley.  The 
Waubece  river  comes  silently  around  the  heights  of 
the  northwest,  and,  meeting  the  outlet,  grows  noisy 
as  it  dashes  down  in  numberless  cascades.  Your 
eye  may  follow  this  broad  valley  by  its  northern 
bluffy  battlements,  hoary  and  gray  and  scarred  with 
time,  or  its  southern  line,  sooner  lost  to  view,  of  green 
hills  and  shady  vales. 

The  home  of  Mr.  Maynard,  builded  in  this  grove 
of  marvelous  beauty,  was  christened  THE  MAPLES. 
It  was  one  of  Minnesota's  new  and  lone  homes,  but  had 
already  become  known  afar  for  the  ' '  rest  and  guid 
ance,  food  and  fire,"  insured  those  who  crossed  its 
friendly  threshold.  Its  owner  had  found  this  part  of 
Minnesota  wild  and  sparsely  settled,  but  beautiful 
beyond  all  his .  most  extravagant  fancies  ;  containing 
the  elements  of  commercial  and  agricultural  gran 
deur.  He  believed  its  settlement  hazardous  only  as 
it  was  remote  from  white  neighborhood  and  pro 
tection,  as  the  Indians  would  certainly  manifest  hos 
tility,  and  guard  with  jealous  eye  all  the  inroads  of 
civilization  upon  their  rich  hunting-grounds.  He 
was  so  captivated  by  these  lovely  surroundings  that 
he  resolved  to  hazard  even  savage  ire  in  their  lawful 
possession.  He  had  much  hope  in  establishing 


THE    MAPLES.  19 

friendly  relations  by  the  Christian  conciliation,  which 
he  believed  not  only  possible,  but  imperative,  in 
dealing  with  a  savage  race.  He  purchased  largely 
of  the  government,  and  his  place  had  wide  fame 
for  the  comfort  of  its  appointments,  the  urbanity 
of  its  master  and  the  generosity  of  its  mistress.  A 
long  distance  in  any  direction  would  weary  the  trav 
eler  who  sought  a  white  man's  roof;  so,  first  of  neces 
sity,  later  of  preference,  many  were  warmed  by  the 
huge  fire-place  and  brake  bread  at  the  well-ordered 
table.  The  extra  chair  at  one,  and  plate  at  the 
other,  bespoke  an  expected,  though  a  stranger,  guest, 
to  a  friendly  welcome.  The  two  buildings  that  com 
posed  the  house  were  connected  by  one  roof,  Avith  a 
large  space  between.  The  eastern  part  contained 
two  sleeping-rooms  .and  the  family  sitting-room. 
The  western  apartment,  large  and  convenient,  was 
devoted  to  cooking,  eating  and  general  housework. 
It  was  a  warm,  comfortable  and  pleasant  home,  con 
sidered  quite  fine  by  the  frontiersmen.  The  large, 
well-built  out-buildings  and  shelters  told  their  own 
story  of  the  thrifty  farmer,  and  the  merciful  man 
considerate  of  his  beast. 

Mrs.  Maynard  was  of  good  Scottish  birth,  the 
daughter  of  a  gentleman  with  some  wealth  who 
had  the  misfortune  to  inherit  a  suit  in  chancery  and  a 
hope  of  winning  it.  Consequently,  a  great  por 
tion  of  his  money  passed  early  in  life  into  the 
possession  of  greedy  Barnacles.  At  his  death,  he 
had  little  to  bequeath  his  daughter,  save  what  she 
valued  most,  his  blessing.  She  had  received  at 
his  hands  a  treasure  more  enduring  than  gold,  a 


20  MAPLE   RANGE. 

thorough  education,  which  he  had  personally  super 
vised.  Her  social  advantages  had  been  of  the  most 
ennobling  character,  from  which  her  ingenuous  soul 
had  easily  taken  impressions.  Truth's  moulding  is  so 
much  more  exquisite  where  there  are  no  thwarting 
influences  to  overcome.  Her  own  and  her  husband's 
early  history,  interesting  as  the  narration  might  be,  is 
not  essential  to  my  story.  I  present  them  to  ;you, 
gentle  reader — a  gentleman  of  sterling  qualities,  rare 
culture  and  deep  piety,  striving  to  redeem  from 
the  wilderness  a  home  whose  foundation  should 
have  permanence  ;  a  lady  who  would  grace  any 
home,  however  elevated,  and  blessing  particularly  this 
one  upon  the  frontier,  herself  the  mirror  of  her 
husband's  and  children's  happiness,  as  well  the  most 
efficient  agent  in  its  creation.  Husband  and  wife, 
together  toiling  earnestly  for  the  good  of  all  within 
their  reach. 

Here,  even  on  the  frontier,  Mrs.  Maynard 
proved  the  value  of  education,  for  her  children  were 
as  well- taught  as  she  had  been.  In  the  forest  of 
Minnesota,  far  from  civilized  habitation,  the  winter 
evenings  were  employed  by  her  children  with  books, 
charts  and  scholastic  instruments,  as  the  evenings 
of  her  early  life  had  been,  away  on  the  banks 
of  the  rippling  Tweed.  It  was  one  of  those  wintry 
evenings,  following  the  summer  of  our  first  introduc 
tion  to  Robert  and  Nellie.  The  skating  on  Lake  Loui 
had  been  spoiled  by  a  recent  heavy  fall  of  snow. 
The  gallant  officer  of  the  "outlandish  craft,"  and  his 
timid  passenger  were  engrossed  with  books  and  reci 
tations,  while  their  mother  seemed  a  girl  again,  as 


THE   MAPLES.  21 

she  helped  them  through  the  mist  that  often  obscures 
the  young  scholar.  Thoughtfully,  she  had  drawn  back 
the  curtains  from  the  south  windoAV,  saying,  "  The 
snow  is  so  deep,  progress  would  be  painfully  slow 
to  him  whose  way  is  clear,  but  God  pity  the  bewil 
dered  wayfarer  on  such  a  night  as  this  !  "  Her  hus 
band  looked  up  from  his  paper,  his  pipe  and  his 
pippins,  into  his  wife's  face,  smiled  approval  of  her 
thought,  and  as  if  to  supplement  the  small  charity 
expressed,  heaped  the  dry  sticks  of  maple  upon 
the  fire,  already  sputtering  and  roaring  up  the  great- 
throated  chimney,  till  the  room  was  one  blaze  of  light 
and  warmth  ;  and  chairs  drew  instinctively  nearer 
the  fire. 

Nellie  said:  "It's  too  cold  to  comprehend  a  les 
son  to-night !  "Will  you  excuse  me,  mother  ?  Father, 
please  pass  the  apples  ? "  But  father  was  dozing 
in  his  arm-chair,  with  feet  on  a  decorous  rest. 
Robert  came  forward,  helped  his  mother  and  Nellie, 
finally  himself,  to  the  golden  fruit,  and  was  seating 
himself  to  enjoy  it,  when  they  were  all  startled  by  a 
stentorian  "  Hullo,  the  house,  thar !" 

Mr.  Maynard,  his  wife,  children,  Cloe  the  domes 
tic,  and  Hall  the  hired  man,  were  speedily  at  open 
doors,  peering  out  into  the  gloom  of  the  stormy  night. 

A  nondescript  vehicle  on  runners  had  anchored 
near  the  steps,  and  was  rapidly  discharging  its  freight 
of  shivering  children.  In  obedience  to  some  silent 
unseen  agency,  the  living  parcels  rolled  out,  utterly 
regardless  of  the  precaution,  "This  side  up;"  but 
fast  as  they  rolled  out,  Mrs.  Maynard,  Cloe  and 


22  MAPLE    RANGE. 

Nellie,  bore  them  into  the  warm  sitting-room,  and 
disposed  them  comfortably. 

Mrs.  Maynard  again  stood  upon  the  porch,  waiting 
for  more  parcels,  while  her  husband  stepped  out  into 
the  deeper  gloom,  where  he  heard  muffled  and  peculiar 
sounds,  as  if  some  overworked  engine  was  striving 
to  recover  its  breathing  ;  sure  enough,  a  snorting 
human  locomotive  labored  into  view  from  near  the 
horse's  head,  and,  Avith  much  slapping  of  chilled 
hands,  delivered  himself  satisfactorily  in  having 
"  got  thar  at  last. "  He  was  grizzled  and  grim  and 
frosty,  as  he  made  his  way  toward  Mr.  Maynard,  and 
extending  his  hand,  in  a  voice  pitched  to  the  key 
which  came  into  use  with  railroad  crossings  and  deaf 
switch-tenders,  shouted  : 

"How  d'ye  du,  squar !  My  name's  Wilson — 
William  H.  Wilson,  if  you  want  the  whole  figger. 
I  'm  movin'  my  gang  and  plunder  up  country,  and  I 
reckoned  ye  'd  give  us  a  bunk  and  some  provender 
here,  t'  night.  Leastways,  I  telled  my  woman, 
that's  Betsey,  that  't  would  be  playin'  powerful  low 
down  on  us,  ef  ye  didn't,  for  it  'pears  like  we  are 
enamost  done  out,  her  and  me,  ain't  we  Betsey? 
Say,  Betsey  !  What  ails  ye,  woman  ?  Come,  get 
out  o'  that  thar  concern,  now  !  The  lady  has  got  the 
children  in  by  the  fire,  and  says  we  are  all  welcome. 
Betsey  ! " 

"Oh,  go  long,  William!  It  'pears  like  you're 
worse  than  Balaam's  critter  !  The  young  ones  are  all 
out,  but  Theoph,  and  I  am  so  stiff  and  cold  I  can't  get 
him  out  of  the  twilts  and  wrappin's.  He  is  fast 
asleep,  ye  see,  an'  ef  ye  don't  move  lively  and  fetch 


THE   MAPLES.  23 

him  out  o'  that  kiver,  I  won't  answer  but  he  will  be 
froze  stiffer'n  a  mackerel." 

Mrs.  Maynard  had  now  got  hold  of  the  poor 
woman's  arm,  and,  while  the  husband  disappeared 
under  the  "kiver,"  in  search  of  Theophilus,  led  her 
into  the  house,  where  the  children  were  already  show 
ing  signs  of  warmth  and  returning  life.  Wilson, 
soon  after,  came  in  with  Mr.  Maynard,  bearing  the 
sleeping  child,  who  was  not  frozen,  or  even  cold,  the 
mother  had  so  comfortably  disposed  him  in  the 
sleigh.  Robert  had  gone  with  the  hired  man  to  attend 
the  one  horse  which  drew  this  load  of  humanity  ;  that 
is,  was  supposed  to  have  drawn  them  ;  but  Avhen 
the  fire  had  done  its  work,  and  Wilson  had  thoroughly 
thawed  out,  some  light  was  thrown  on  this. 

"Stranger,"  said  Wilson,  addressing  Mr.  May 
nard,  "one  of  my  bosses  caved  in  teetotally,  a  spell 
below  here,  by  the  lake  ;  fell  down  dead  at  the  '  half 
breed  tract,'  and  t'other  one  pulled  the  load,  with 
me  a-pushin'  behind,  till  we  got  forcninst  the  pitchin' 
off  place  of  your  bench,  thar.  I  had  onhitched  the 
dead  hoss  and  drug  him  out  into  the  snow  by  the 
road-bed — as  I  was  say  in',  the  other  hoss  drew  the 
load  till  jest  below  here — when  I  see  he  was  in  a  fair 
way  to  give  out  too.  Well,  I  jest  took  hold  beside  him, 
and  old  gray  and  me  done  some  of  the  peartest  pullin' 
outside  of  a  dentist's  shop.  I  hain't  got  the  most 
powerful  purchase  on  the  ground,  nor  old  gray  so 
much  meat  on  his  bones  that  butchers  spot  his  stall; 
but  say,  now,  you  can  hitch  us  up  together,  and, 
stranger,  I  lay  we  will  pull  even  and  move  anything 
that  is  cut  loose  at  both  ends.  Why,  my  woman  will 


24  MAPLE   KANGE. 

tell  ye  we  made   better  time  than  the  two  bosses, 
didn't  we,  Betsey  \  " 

Betsey  had  fallen-  asleep  in  her  chair  in  the  midst 
of  her  eight  roguish,  rosy,  rustic  children,  ranging 
in  regular  order,  a  half  head  difference  between  them. 
They  might  have  been  likened  to  stairs,  commencing 
with  little  toothless  Tad  and  topping  off  with  the 
buxom  Ruth  Ann.  Supper  was  soon  in  readiness,  and 
they  all  filed  into  the  kitchen,  the  children  given  high 
seats,  the  parents  made  to  feel  that  even  larger 
families  could  be  accommodated.  Wilson  discoursed 
less  of  his  mishaps  during  the  meal;  but  his  wife 
seemed  more  talkative,  over  her  cup  of  tea,  She 
said  : 

"  It  seems  almost  a  impersition  to  crowd  in  so  late 
at  night ;  but  what  with  the  poor  slippin'  and  the 
dead  beast,  we  got  belated  a  heap.  I  did  feel  power 
ful  feared  we  would  perish,  when  it  grew  dark,  but 
then  we  seed  your  light,  and  oh,  ef  you  only  could 
know  the  courage  that  came  into  our  hearts !  I 
was  on  my  knees,  rubbin'  the  children's  feet  to  keep 
the  frost  out,  and,  though  my  teeth  chattered  and  my 
hands  shook  like  the  fever  'n'  ager,  yet  I  told  'em 
funny  stories  to  make  'em  laugh,  for  I  thought  a  good 
ha-haw  would  'liven  'em  and  set  the  blood  to  circula- 
tin'.  When  we  fust  cum  out  of  the  woods  round  the 
lake  shore,  William  said,  '  Thar  is  the  north  star ;  ' 
and,  sure  enough,  it  looked  like  it,  only  a  million 
times  brighter,  and  we  knew  ef  we  could  only  stand 
it  across  the  prairie,  we  would  bring  up,  in  the  eend, 
at  a  warm  coop  ;  and  we  did,  thanks  to  our  Heavenly 
Father." 


THE    MAPLES.  25 

This  was  the  first  meal,  as  paterfamilias  affirmed, 
that  had  been  partaken  ' '  square  "  in  a  week ;  the 
apparent  relish  confirmed  his  statement,  if  there  had 
seemed  any  doubt  of  its  truthfulness.  But  honesty  of 
purpose  was  written  all  over  his  homely  face,  and  rung 
in  the  accentuation  of  every  syllable  that  dropped 
from  his  lips.  Mrs.  Maynard  assisted  in  waiting  upon 
them,  supplying  the  particular  dish  for  which  each 
showed  a  preference.  She  also  discovered  the  exist 
ence  of  a  family  tooth  for  the  unctuous  sweet  which 
accompanies  the  hominy  and  bacon  bill  of  fare,  prized 
by  the  class  the  Wilsons  represented,  called  "  low- 
downers."  It  was  noticeable  that  Ruth  Ann  was  the 
"big  eater  "of  the  family;  that  when  the  general 
appetite  seemed  to  falter,  hers  was  still  up  to  the  mark. 
Another  piece  of  bread  was  preparing  for  sacrifice  on 
her  plate;  had  received  its  modicum  of  butter,  and  she 
was  absorbed  in  the  action  of  pouring  syrup  over  it, 
watching  with  pleased  abstraction  the  curves  and 
linos  that  formed  mouth-watering  intersections.  The 
door  opened,  Robert  entered  the  room,  advancing 
to  the  stove,  with  some  boyish  and  pungent  remarks 
upon  the  weather.  The  girl's  eyes  were  transferred 
from  her  plate  to  his  face,  and  fixed  there  by  its 
promise  rather  than  the  fulfilment  of  masculine 
beauty.  Her  ideas  had  been  formed  from  observation 
of  ruder  specimens  of  humanity,  and  though  she 
could  not  trace  to  its  source  or  name  the  peculiar 
charm  which  refined  influences  lend,  she  recognized 
its  presence. 

While  she  sat  staring  with  wonder  and  admiration, 
her  employment  all  forgotten,  the  syrup  still  flowed, 
2 


26  MAPLE    RANGE. 

drowning  the  bread,  filling  the  plate,  then,  slowly 
swelling  over  the  circling  rim,  it  fell  a  golden  river 
on  the  table,  thence  to  the  floor.  At  this  juncture, 
her  mother  discovered  her  unfortunate  predicament. 
Rising  quickly,  with  Tad  in  her  arms,  she  leaned, 
with  detriment  to  the  yielding  cream  pitcher, 
clear  over  the  table,  administering  a  rousing  box  on 
the  poor  girl's  ear,  shrieking  : 

"Wha' !  thar,  you!  Are  ye  goin'  to  keep  on 
pourin'  them  molasses  till  ye  can  see  the  nigger  grin- 
nin'  at'the  bottom  of  the  jug?  Take  that  !  and 
that!"  boxing  her,  "and  jest  toddle  out  and  scour 
up  a  little,  for,  see  !  ye  have  jest  gone  and  stuck  yer 
two  hands  in  the  mess,  and  thar 's  a  powerful  chance 
ye  '11  get  a  good  lickin'  to  top  off  with.  Mind  !  " 

Mortified  and  abashed,  the  girl  had  reached  the 
door  before  her  mother's  sharp  words  had  ceased. 
Great  persuasion  from  Mrs.  Maynard  was  necessary 
before  she  would  return  to  the  sitting-room  after 
supper.  Robert  and  Nellie  were  missing,  but  their 
mother  found  them  in  the  bed-room,  with  pillows 
stuffed  tightly  to  their  mouths,  their  eyes  full  of  tears 
of  suppressed  laughter.  She  cautioned  them  against 
the  possibility  of  wounding  the  feelings  of  their 
guests,  by  indulgence  of  this  kind  over  their  pecu 
liarities. 

"But,  mother,"  said  Nellie,  with  words  hurried 
by  merriment,  "  I  shall  die,  they  are  all  so  queer !" 

"Yes,  mother,  I  shall,  too!  One  grave  and  one 
monument  for  Nellie  and  Robert ;  one  inscription  — 
'  Laughed  themselves  to  death  ! '  How  pitiful  !  " 

Perfect  mistress  of  herself,  as  she  was,  even  the 


THE    MAPLES.  27 

self-possessed  Mrs.  Maynard  laughed  at  the  ludicrous 
picture,  and  left  her  children  to  recover  from-these  par 
oxysms  in  their  own  way  and  time.  The  little  people 
were  all  glad  of  a  suggestion  to  get  up  stairs  to  bed. 
The  kind  hands  of  doe,  who  had  a  good  memory  of 
childhood,  helped  them  to  get  under  the  warm  wool 
sheets,  and  tucked  them  in.  Her  own  bed-room  Mrs. 
Maynard  assigned  to  Wilson  and  his  wife.  Nellie 
and  Ruth  Ann  occupied  the  other,  while,  on  a  bed 
used  only  when  company  made  it  necessary,  occupying 
one  corner  of  the  large  sitting-room,  she  would  her 
self  sleep,  when  the  loquacious  Wilson  should  con 
clude  to  strike  in  for  the  night.  This,  even  at  near 
midnight,  seemed  a  remote  probability,  for  he  grew, 
in  the  quiet  after  the  children  had  been  sent  to  bed, 
more  voluble  and  communicative  than  before.  After 
awhile  even  u  Tad  "was  asleep,  and  the  hostess  led 
the  way  to  the  room  where  the  Wilsons,  pere  et  mere, 
were  to  repose ;  Mrs.  Wilson  returned,  and  seating 
herself  near  Mrs.  Maynard,  said  : 

"I  calculate  that  you  and  yer  old  man  will  sleep 
in  this  yere  bed." 

' '  Yes, "  was  the  reply.  Mrs.  Maynard  won 
dered  at  the  remark,  but  did  not  have  to  wait  long 
for  its  explanation,  as  the  visitor  continued  : 

"Wall,  now,  you  look  tired-like,  and  delicate  to 
boot,  though  you  do  carry  a  good  bit  o'  meat.  You 
needn't  mind  us  a  picayune,  but  turn  in  whenever 
ye  git  ready.  William  won't  never  know  when  to 
pinch  off  his  gab,  as  long  as  yer  husband  shows  a 
shadder  for  him  to  shoot  at ;  besides,  we  always  have 
a  season  of  prayer,  before  we  go  to  bed,  no  matter 


28  MAPLE   RANGE. 

where  we  are.  You  see,  we  Ve  belonged  to  the  meetin' 
nigh  on  to  ten  year  ;  and  William,  as  he  grows  in 
grace,  gets  powert tiller  and  powerfuller  in  prayer. 
He  has  got  some  very  sot  ways,  and  one  is,  holdin' 
on  to  the  horns  of  the  altar  a  good  spell.  You  will 
git  sleepy  a  right  smart  before  he  is  through.  I  know 
you  will  feel  pimpin'  all  day,  to-morrow,  and  may  jest 
as  well  undress  and  git  into  bed,  for,  bless  yer  heart, 
William  won't  look." 

But  William  did  look  at  that  very  instant,  turned 
round,  bestrode  his  chair,  took  another  hunk  of 
cavendish,  and  stared  at  them  while  he  manipulated 
the  sweet  morsel,  preparatory  to  ne\v  utterance.  He 
had  not  heard  his  wife's  words — oh,  no  !  That  was 
not  his  way.  His  own  voice  was  too  charming ; 
when  it  got  a  chance  of  a  good  run,  as  to-night,  it 
went  "without  let  or  hindrance."  He  only  paused 
to  fit  the  tobacco  well  to  his  cheek — a  good  cheek— 
and  proceeded  to  square  himself  with  his  host  and  host 
ess,  as  it  just  occurred  to  him,  might  be  advisable  and 
timely,  late  as  it  was. 

"  I  calculate  you  'ns  take  me  to  be  the  father  of 
all  the  childer  we  brung  here  to-night.  Now,  that  is  a 
little  mistake,  but  a  harmly  one,  as  a  good  pile  of  'em 
are  mine  ;  but  my  woman,  thar,  the  fust  time  I  ever 
seed  her,  was  leadin'  Ruth  Ann,  and  carried  Peter  in 
her  arms.  It  was  on  a  steamboat ;  and  the  capting  told 
me  she  was  a  inconsolable  widder." 

"Yes,"  the  woman  interrupted;  "I'll  tell  ye 
how  'twas." 

"Now,  Betsey,  that  ain't  fair  !  I  started  this  ex 
planation  myself ;  commenced  tellin'  how  't  was — " 


THE    MAPLES.  29 

"I  don't  care  ef  you  did  !  I  guess  I  know  the 
story  a  heap  better  'n  you  do,  an'  I  'm  going  to  tell  it, 
ef  anybody  does  !  " 

"  Well,  go  on,  then  !  "  said  Wilson,  evidently 
resigning  himself  to  what  he  had  reason  to  know  was 
inevitable. 

"In  the  first  place,"  she  said,  "you  must  know 
me  and  my  first  man  lived  on  the  Mississippi  bottoms, 
in  old  Tennessee.  We  emost  always,  one  or  't  other 
of  us,  had  the  chills — sometimes  both,  and  the  chil 
dren  too.  Of  course,  we  was  always  poor,  and 
lived,  as  they  say,  'from  hand  to  mouth.'  Hearin' 
a  good  bit  about  how  much  healthier  it  was  in  Illi 
nois,  we  concluded  to  go  thar  somehow.  Just  as 
soon  as  you  make  up  yer  mind  you  will  do  a  thing, 
the  way  is  always  clear.  My  husband  found  a  chance 
and  dickered  with  the  capting  of  a  Orleans  steam 
boat,  goin'  up,  to  take  us  and  our  plunder,  for  him 
lendin'  a  hand,  takin'  truck  off  an'  on  the  boat,  at  the 
different  landings.  Well,  at  St.  Louis,  they  put  off  a 
large  cargo  of  sugar,  and  tuck  on  railroad  iron,  for  a 
point  above  thar.  When  we  shoved  off  from  the 
levee,  the  good-natured  mate,  knowin'  the  hands 
were  all  tired,  treated  'em  to  the  drinks,  and  my 
man,  not  ever  havin'  been  used  to  it,  and  being  weak 
besides  from  the  chills,  felt  the  effects  of  the  whisky 
more  than  the  rest,  and  more  than  the  mate  expected 
he  would.  I  was  sittin'  in  among  bales  and  boxes,  for 
ward,  with  the  steerage  passengers.  Ruth  Ann,  about 
three  years  old,  was  standing  by  my  knee — Peter, 
the  baby,  asleep  in  my  arms — when,  all  to  onct,  I 
seed  my  man  start  to  come  toward  us — seed  him 


30  MAPLE   RANGE. 

stagger  and  stumble,  and  then  disappear.  A  few 
minutes  afterwards,  they  brought  him  to  me,  dead. 
Yes,  he  had  fallen,  in  his  first  drunken  fit,  clean 
through  the  hatchet.  His  neck  was  broken,  but  he 
looked  as  natural  as  ef  he  was  asleep,  and  I  s'pose  I 
took  on  powerful.  It  was  awful  lonesome,  sittin' 
there,  day  after  day,  on  that  noisy,  puffin'  old  steam 
boat,  with  only  the  freight  and  strange  people  and 
niggers  about  me,  and  1  cried  as  ef  my  heart  was  all 
goin'  to  pieces.  Him,  that  was  dead  and  left  behind, 
had  been  a  good,  kind  husband,  though  middlin'  close- 
mouthed — not  so  talkative  as  William,  to  be  sure  ; 
but  then  we  didn't  have  half  so  many  jaws.  One 
of  the  cabin  passengers,  a  purty  creter  of  a  girl 
that  had  been  to  Orleans  with  her  pap,  come  down 
thar  to  me,  in  my  grief,  and  give  me  a  purse  of 
forty  dollars,  collected  among  the  passengers.  She 
was  terrible  sorry  for  me,  and  put  her  white,  dimpled 
arms  around  my  neck,  which,  I  reckon,  must  a  looked 
a  good  bit  browner,  and  begged  me  not  to  grieve  so. 
Stooping  low  to  kiss  the  baby,  while  tears  fell  upon 
his  dress,  she  whispered  of  One  who  had  promised  to 
be  a  father  to  the  fatherless,  and  the  widow's  God.  I 
had  been  sort  o'  unbelievin'  in  sech  things,  but  then 
I  had  never  heard  the  word  from  any  one  but  these 
loud-voiced  circuit  riders,  who  proclaimed  a  shriekin' 
gospil,  and  seemed  bent  on  scarin'  folks  to  glory. 
When  she,  with  her  low  sweet  voice,  told  me  of  His 
tenderness  and  care,  His  mercy,  His  death  for  me — 
even  me,  so  poor  and  no  account — my  heart  was 
softened.  I  fell  on  my  knees  and  prayed.  I  knelt  a 
sinner,  but  rose  a  rejoicin'  Christian." 


THE   MAPLES.  31 

Her  humble  story  was  told  in  a  monotonous,  sing 
song  tone  that,  toward  the  last,  sometimes  was  almost 
a  wail,  and  then  a  whisper,  while  her  face  lost  all  its 
rudeness  and  took  on  an  expression  of  peculiar  gentle 
ness — so  much  so  that  Mrs.  Maynard,  commenting 
mentally  then,  but  afterward  to  her  husband,  declared 
that  "  Child-like  faith  transforms  the  plainest  features, 
and  the  Creator's  image  is  clearly  impressed  upon  the 
brow  of  the  believing  creature."  In  the  lull,  she  laid 
the  family  Bible  in  her  husband's  hands.  He  read  a 
chapter,  followed  the  reading  with  a  brief  prayer, 
after  which  a  longer,  boisterous  prayer,  exhaustive 
of  words  and  lungs  and  listeners'  patience,  was  made 
by  Wilson.  Mrs.  Wilson,  also,  but  in  low,  earnest 
tunes,  prayed,  then  retired  at  once,  so  that  Wilson 
had  no  opportunity,  in  his  own  words,  to  tell  "how 
'twas." 

It  was  a  long  breakfast  table  in  the  kitchen  next 
morning  ;  and,  as  Johnny  Wilson  said  to  his  sister, 
"Nobody  don't  have  to  wait  for  nobody  else  to  get 
done  eating."  Each  chubby  little  stranger  had  a 
place  at  the  table,  and  an  appetite  as  well,  that  com 
pared  satisfactorily  with  those  of  larger  growth. 
Here  let  me  say,  lest  I  forget  it,  that  unfortunate 
indeed  is  the  individual  who,  after  a  few  weeks  resi 
dence  in  this  beautiful  State,  breathing  its  pure,  in 
vigorating  air,  fails  to  experience  the  pleasurable  sen 
sations  of  real  Minnesota  hunger. 

Successive  cups  of  coffee  served  to  unloosen  Wil- 
ron's  tongue,  which  seemed  to  find  no  end  of  material 
upon  which  to  comment.  But  for  the  wife,  who 
could  shut  off  the  member  at  short  range,  his 


32  MAPLE   RANGE. 

tongue  might  have  furnished  anew  the  suggestion  of 
perpetual  motion. 

At  last,  however,  he  made  some  inquiry  about 
the  country  "above, "and  received  a  very  full  and 
evidently  satisfactory  description  from  Mr.  Maynard, 
and  the  promise  to  accompany  him  in  search  of  a 
location.  A  courtesy  which  a  rich  speculator  need 
never  expect  from  such  men  as  James  Maynard, 
whose  whole  soul  was  devoted  to  the  settlement  of 
the  country  of  his  adoption,  particularly  this  wooded, 
watered  and  productive  belt  of  promise.  He  made, 
too,  the  thoughtful  and  generous  provision  that  Wil 
son's  family  should  remain  at  The  Maples,  until  he 
could  look  around  and  decide  if  he  would  locate 
there,  or  go  on.  Both  Wilson  and  his  wife  were 
moved  to  expressions  of  gratitude  at  this  unex 
pected  offer.  The  former,  clearing  his  throat,  said : 

"It's  a  big  offer,  neighbor.  My  family  is  not 
used  to  such  kindness  and  such  quarters  ;  but  we  'ns 
will  accept  it,  bein'  that  I  hain't  got  the  rhino,  jest  at 
the  present  winkin',  to  do  anything  else  but  accept. 
But  I  will  hope  to  get  quits  with  ye  somehow,  in  the 
long  run  of  our  three  score  years  and  ten  ;  and  it 
'pears  like  " — his  eyes  moistened  suspiciously,  here — 
"I  can't  a-bcar  to  question  too  closely  and  put 
from  me  too  independently  the  first  streak  of  light 
that  has  come  across  my  cloud  for  ever  so  long.  I 
have,  one  time  and  another,  shoved  round  a  power, 
livin'  now  at  the  pillow  and  now  at  the  post,  with 
all  sorts  of  luck,  makin'  moves  in  all  sorts,  too,  of 
jumnibusses  ;  but  I  declare,"  he  said,  laughing  again, 
"last  night  was  the  fust  time  I  ever  had  to  turn  loco- 


THE   MAPLES.  33 

motive."  Turning  suddenly  around,  as  if  a  new, 
large  idea  was  born  in  his  brain  and  struggled 
for  expression,  he  looked  with  intentness  of  gaze 
and  parted  lips  into  his  wife's  face  a  moment,  then, 
"  D'  ye  mind,  Betsey,"  he  said,  "  the  time,  last  winter, 
when  I  tuck  young  school-master  Thompson  to  Gelena, 
and  went  with  him  that  night  to  a  lecture  on  '  Stron- 
emy  ? " 

"Yes  ;  what  of  it?  "  said  the  wife. 

"Why,  I  thought  about  that  lecture,  last  night, 
when  I  was  tuggin'  along  by  the  side  of  old  gray,  up 
the  pitch.  Ye  see  the  man  told  us  about  a  critter,  put 
in  the  sky  by  shepherds,  down  there  at  Chaldea  ; 
though  ef  he  had  jest  said  Yankees,  I  would  a -took 
more  stock  in  the  yarn,  as  they  might  manage  to 
boost  the  thing  up  somehow.  Anyhow,  he  said  the 
thing  was  half  hoss  and  half  human.  I  done  forgot 
the  name  precisely.  Let  me — Sent — Senter — 

"Century!  I  have  seen  the  word  a  hundred 
times  in  readin' books.  I  know  it's  Century,"  said 
Mrs.  Wilson,  warmly. 

Robert  looked  up  at  his  mother,  receiving  her 
signal  of  approval,  turned  to  Wilson,  and  inquiringly 
suggested  :  "Was  it  not  Centaur,  sir?  " 

"  Yes,  yes,  boy  ;  that 's  the  very  it  !  " 

"Oh,  I  thought  it  must  be  Century,"  said  Mrs. 
Wilson. 

"That  was  a  queer  lecture,  anyhow,"  continued 
Wilson,  "got  up,  I  warrant,  by  some  college  chap 
that  knew  so  much  he  didn't  know  anything,  and 
thought  he  could  stuff  any  nonsense  down  a  West 
erner.  He  undertook  to  prove  by  some  kind  of  a 
C 


34:  MAPLE   RANGE. 

jimcrack,  I  forgot  the  name  of  it,  that  the  earth  goes 
round  the  sun  every  so  often,  and  turns  a  complete 
summersault  itself  every  day  ;  showed  just  how  't  was 
done  ;  and  a  lot  of  other  stuff  about  the  planits  and 
their  orbs  and  consolutions,  and  what  not ;  but  I 
can't  remember  the  name  of  the  machine  he  used." 

"I  wonder  if  in  this  upper  region,"  said  Mr. 
Maynard,  ' '  we  shall  ever  listen  to  such  lectures  upon 
the  revolutions  of  the  earth  and  other  planets — ever 
have  our  perceptions  quickened  and  benefited  by 
scientific  illustrations  ?  " 

"Illustrations  !  that  was  the  name  of  the  feller's 
machine  that  he  handled,  to  show  up  the  whole  hum 
bug.  He  told  it  often  enough  for  any  fool  to  remem 
ber,  even  if  it 's  a  long  word.  No  question  about  it, 
though ;  that  was  the  name  that  he  called  that 
machine  of  his  'n— Illustrations  !  " 

Nellie  and  Robert  were  missing  again  !  Breakfast 
w'as  over.  Mr.  Maynard  was  examining  his  gun,  and 
Mrs.  Maynard  was  putting  up  a  lunch  of  biscuit  and 
boiled  ham  ;  but  there  was  a  perceptible  quiver  about 
the  corners  of  their  mouths  as  they  exchanged  glances, 
which  would  have  comforted  Rob  and  Nellie. 

The  two  men  were  soon  oft*  on  a  long,  tiresome 
>amp  through  the  deep  snow  of  the  woods  and  across 
flie  drifted  prairies,  circling  round  at  last  to  the  choice 
timbered  land,  north  of  The  Maples.  A  location  a 
few  miles  distant  was  decided  upon,  and  trees  blazed 
to  define  its  boundary.  Mrs.  Wilson  and  her  children 
»Tere  made  entirely  at  home,  feeling  the  sweet  privilege 
after  having  for  so  many  days  known  only  the 
cramped  covered  sleigh.  Nellie  and  Robert,  upon 


fHE    MAPLES'.  35 

''  hospitable  thoughts  intent,"  took  care  that  time 
should  not  hang  heavily,  nor  the  days  seem  long  to 
their  young  visitors,  whom  they  liked  in  spite  of 
their  peculiarities  of  manner  and  speech.  Evening 
came  down  almost  unawares  upon  their  enjoyable 
games.  There  was  a  stampede  of  youngsters  though, 
when  Wilson's  face  was  discovered  at  the  small  open 
ing  of  the  door,  and  the  hearty  ' '  Ho,  ho,  ho  ! " 
which  rolled  in  like  the  tide  of  the  sea,  lifting  the 
children  it  challenged,  by  its  heartsome  buoyancy. 
By  the  time  he  had  reached  the  center  of  the  room, 
he  was  literally  en  wreathed  with  his  olive  branches. 
Johnny,  his  own,  and  Pete,  his  foster  or  step-son, 
strove  together  for  a  seat  on  his  shoulders.  Luke 
and  Matthew  sat,  one  on  each  knee,  while  two 
little  red-faced  fellows  tugged  away  in  the  attempt 
to  climb  up  by  his  legs.  Then  his  wife,  with  a 
beaming  look  that  belied  all  the  sharpness  of  her 
speech,  came  forward  and  laid  little  Tad  in  his  bosom, 
her  own  head  resting  there,  as  it  were  to  hold  the 
child,  but  really  to  express  her  gladness  at  his  return. 

' 1 1  had  no  idea,  Wilson,  you  could  carry  such  a 
1^ad,"  said  Mr.  Maynard,  "or  I  would  have  accepted 
your  offer  to  bring  in  the  elk  we  shot  to  day.  '* 

"Oh,."  was  the  reply,  "a  man  can  carry  a  big 
load  of  his  own  flesh  and  blood,  kase  he  has  so  much 
of  heart  help." 

"  But  Wilson  would  carry  your  elk,  I  '11  be  bound, 
Mr.  Maynard,  if  you  would  just  brag  him  up  now 
and  then.  He  will  work  harder  any  day  for  praise, 
than  he  will  for  pay,"  said  Mrs.  Wilson,  good- 
naturedly. 


36  MAPLE   RANGE. 

At  supper  the  plan  was  laid,  and  the  morrow  wit 
nessed  the  first  step  towards  building  a  house  on  the 
farm  chosen  in  the  deep  woods.  This  farm  lay  on 
either  side  of  the  road  that  passed  The  Maples. 
Several  succeeding  days  were  employed  in  getting 
together  logs  and  material  for  the  building.  In  two 
weeks  time,  by  the  assistance  of  Mr.  Maynard,  Robert 
and  the  hired  man,  Wilson  had  built  a  comfortable 
cabin,  and  it  waited  only  the  occupancy  of  the  family 
to  constitute  a  veritable  "lodge  in  the  vast  wilder 
ness."  Wilson  looked  with  pride  and  satisfaction 
upon  its  rough-hewn  walls.  Hitherto,  he  had  lived 
in  mean,  often  comfortless,  rented  tenements;  and 
now  to  call  this  warm,  cosy  cabin  and  one  hundred 
and  sixty  acres  his  own,  made  him  feel  kingly.  The 
tears  stood  in  his  eyes,  but  there  was  no  weight  >at  his 
heart.  The  floors  were  made  of  puncheons,  the 
chimneys  of  mud  and  sticks,  the  roof  of  shakes,  and 
the  window  panes  were  oiled  paper  ;  but  a  palace  was 
never  completed  with  more  genuine  satisfaction  than 
Swelled  his  heart,  as,  when  after  boring  a  gimlet  hole 
through  the  rude  door  and  slipping  a  narrow  strip  of 
buckskin  through,  he  attached  the  wooden  latch 
on  the  inside,  straightening  himself  proudly  up, 
thanked  his  neighbor  that  his  house  was  done.  That 
night  was  the  last  of  the  sojourn  of  the  new  comers 
at  The  Maples.  They  had  all  retired,  and,  with  the 
exception  of  Mrs.  Maynard,  were  asleep.  The  fire 
still  burned  brightly  on  the  hearth,  though  it  was  late, 
when  the  door  opened  softly  and  the  tall  form  of  an 
Indian  entered. 

"Welcome,  friend,"  said  Mrs.  Maynard. 


THE   MAPLES.  37 

' '  Ugh ! "  was  the  impressive  response,  as  he 
advanced,  squatting  on  the  hearth,  lit  his  pipe,  and 
in  a  moment  was  smoking  as  if  he  had  never  done 
anything  else. 

"Are  you  hungry,  Mock-ane-sah  ? " 

"No  ;  me  eat  venison  plenty." 

"  Well,  get  a  pillow  from  the  lounge,  and  lie 
down  by  the  fire,"  she  added. 

"Ugh!  Me  no  want  pillow.  Me  have  no  sore 
head  afraid  of  stones.  It  is  tough  from  lying  on  the 
ground  in  rain  and  tempest.  Me  no  woman !  " 

This  dusky  addition  to  her  family,  sprawled  full 
length  in  Mrs.  Maynard's  view,  wrapped  in  his  blanket 
on  the  hearth,  slept  as  soundly  as  she  in  her  feather 
bed.  If  the  hired  man,  grown  accustomed  to  such 
visits,  exhibited  surprise  when  he  came  in  at  day 
break  to  make  the  fire,  what  must  have  been  that 
of  the  Wilsons,  big  and  little,  when  they  assembled 
in  the  breakfast  room  and  encountered  the  stolid 
look  of  the  big  Indian.  Mr.  Maynard  met  him  then, 
and  extending  his  hand  in  welcome,  said  : 

"What  is  the  matter?  Why  do  you  come  this 
long  distance  to  see  us  now,  when  it 's  cold  and  snow 
is  deep  ?  " 

' '  Mock-ane-sah  don't  feel  cold.  His  heart  is  burn 
ing.  He  has  trouble  deeper  than  the  snow ! " 
With  poor  English,  he  managed  to  tell  his  story  and 
object  of  his  visit. 

A  party  of  his  braves  had,  for  some  sli  ,/t  provo 
cation,  attacked  a  lumbering  crew  of  white  men, 
killing  one  man  and  fatally  wounding  another.  The 
party  guilty  of  murder,  Tonewah  by  name,  had  been 


38  HAPLE   RANGE. 

arrested,  and  was  now  lying  in  jail  at  St.  Paul,  await 
ing  his  trial.  Mock-ane-sah,  though  heartily  disap 
proving  the  course  of  the  Indians  implicated,  was  still 
intent  upon  the  release  of  Tonewah,  and  had  come  to 
beg  Mr.  Maynard  to  use  his  influence  to  prevent  con 
viction. 

"My  friend,"  Mr.  Maynard  said,  "I  can  scarcely 
tell  you  how  much  I  regret  this  occurrence  ;  but  if  it 
is  as  you  say,  it 's  plain  the  law  justly  demands  the 
punishment  of  the  murderer." 

"Ugh!  the  white  man's  law,"  was  the  significant 
reply. 

"Yes  ;  but  a  just  law — '  an  eye  for  an  eye,  a  life 
for  a  life.'  We  feed  and  shelter  our  criminals  ;  give 
them  a  fair  trial ;  but  if  found  guilty,  they  must 
suffer  the  penalty  of  crime." 

"You  think  Tonewah  must  hang." 

"Most  assuredly,  if  he  is  guilty  of  murder.  You, 
too,  think  that  he  should  be  punished.  He  is  a  bad 
Indian." 

"Yes;  I  have  great  trouble  with  Tonewah;  but 
my  people  will  not  have  him  hung  ;  they  will  make 
war  then." 

"Well,  come  and  eat  breakfast  with  us,  and  we 
will  talk  farther." 

Full  as  the  table  had  been,  room  was  found  for 
him,  and  he  had  evidently  eaten  there  many  times  be 
fore  ;  he  showed  preference  for  Cloe's  nice  buckwheat 
cakes  and  coffee,  well  sugared  ;  also  a  preference 
of  fingers  to  forks.  After  a  long  talk  with  Mr. 
Maynard,  he  turned  his  face  sadly  again  toward  the 
homes  of  his  people,  far  northward. 


THE   MAPLES.  39 

Later,  Mr.  MaynarcTs  sleigh  was  driven  round 
to  the  door  by  Robert.  Nellie  was  one  of  the  merry 
youngsters  that  went  out  in  it  to  the  new  cabin  in  the 
wood.  Wilson,  with  his  wife,  baby  and  "plunder," 
followed  in  the  old  pung,  with  old  gray  "goin'  it 
alone,"  Wilson  chuckled. 

They  had  spent  a  happy  time  together  and 
neither  of  the  families  would  ever  forget  the  mutual 
pleasure.  The  new  home,  so  humble,  was  destined 
to  become  the  nucleus  about  which  a  thrifty  settle 
ment  would  ere  long  cluster  ;  and  for  the  present,  we 
leave  it,  knowing  its  owner,  with  industry  and  thor 
ough  farming,  aided  by  his  fish-rod  and  gun,  will 
supply  it  with  all  the  comforts  of  life. 

Some  time  passed.  Settlers  multiplied,  and  the 
Indians  fraternized,  more  than  at  first  with  the  settle 
ments —  venturing  more  and  receiving  more  their 
confidence. 

After  a  year's  incarceration,  Tonewah.  who  had 
not  been  tried,  was  not  only  discharged  from  cus 
tody,  but  armed  and  equipped  with  a  new  "blanket 
and  the  accessories  of  Indian  garb,"  and  sent 
rejoicing  home.  As  he  was  undoubtedly  deserv 
ing  of  punishment,  this  act  of  judicial  clemency, 
indicating  the  pacific  policy  of  the  government, 
naturally  gave  boldness  to  the  Indians.  Their 
encroachments  upon  the  rights  of  whites  became 
frequent  and  grievous.  They  had  been  pam 
pered  by  indulgence  and  generously  kept,  notwith 
standing  their  indolence.  In  open  defiance,  they 
insolently  spat  in  the  face  of  the  hard-working  settler, 
the  sweat  of  whose  brow  aided  to  swell  the  revenue  that 


40  MAPLE   KANGE. 

clothed  and  fed  them.  No  wonder  that  growing  dis 
content  resulted  from  the  petty  impositions  of  those 
thieving,  non-producing  neighbors  who  held  large 
tracts  of  the  very  best  land  in  the  State — lands  cov 
eted  by  enterprising  pioneers,  who  could  have  turned 
them  into  national  benefices.  Those  reservations  were 
a  real  detriment  to  civilization;  for  there  was  noth 
ing  to  induce  individual  effort.  There  was  no  provi 
sion  made  for  an  Indian  who  possessed  the  requisite 
ability,  to  acquire  individual  estate,  the  right  to  trans 
fer  his  title,  or  independently  to  engage  in  the  tillage 
of  the  soil,  as  white  men  did,  inspired  by  the  home 
and  labor  spirit  that  conduces  to  good  society. 
There  was  a  public  demand,  though  smothered  in 
its  incipiency  because  it  would  cripple  the  interest  of 
demagogues  and  political  leaders,  that  this  system 
of  wholesale  pauperism  should  be  discontinued;  that 
Indians  should  be  placed  on  a  par  with  other  men  ; 
given  the  prerogative  of  living  through  toil,  or  dying 
through  indolence  ;  rising  to  affluence,  as  had  been 
proven  in  Minnesota  even  an  Indian  might,  or  wast 
ing  away  by  merited  starvation;  that  they  should 
be  made  separate  land  -  holders,  vested  Avith  prop 
erty  that  was  transferable ;  that  the  Indian  titles, 
which  public  sympathy  was  strongly  against,  should 
be  made  perfect  by  destroying  their  common  char 
acter  and  casting  them  on  the  individual.  This 
would  parcel  reservations  and  make  separate  owners. 
Each  man  of  a  tribe  would  thus  become  the  sovereign 

O 

of  his  own  estate,  to  have,  to  hold,  or  to  sell. 

Some,  in  defining  the  most  feasible  Indian  policy, 
recommended  a  revolution  that  would  make  reserva- 


THE   MAPLES.  41 

tions  a  memory  only.  Annuities,  like  other  public 
charities,  applicable  only  to  helpless  age  and  infirmity. 
Through  processes  known  to  humanity,  make  toil  the 
condition  of  comfort,  and  let  the  Indian  understand 
that,  without  aid  farther  than  the  gift  of  a  farm, 
his  bread  should  be  the  fruit  of  his  own  labor. 
Let  him  once  understand  positively,  that  no  longer 
would  cattle  and  ponies  be  given  to  him,  a  certain  dis 
trict  assigned  to  him.  a  blanket,  rifle  and  ammunition, 
food  and  money,  annually  awarded  to  him  as  prizes 
for  his  indolence  and  insolence,  and  it  was  believed 
that  "The  poor  Indian,"  would  follow  the  leading  of* 
even  his  untutored  mind,  and  learn  the  meaning  of  the 
terms,  manhood,  home  and  law.  Not  at  once,  per 
haps.  Persuasions  might  be  necessary,  and  of  different 
kinds — some  wearing  even  the  semblance  of  coercion. 
There  would  be  no  doubt  a  time  of  suffering — a  time 
when  they  would  be  neither  Indians  nor  men  ;  but 
the  transition  period  from  one  state  of  existence  to 
another  is  necessary,  though  void  of  loveliness. 

Latterly,  as  the  settlements  increased  in  numbers, 
the  Indians  took  umbrage,  and  depredations  became 
too  frequent  to  be  borne.  Complaints  were  made  to 
the  authorities  and  arbitrations  held,  without  recourse 
to  open  war.  Mr.  Maynard  seemed  to  hold  the  confi 
dence  of  both  whites  and  Indians,  and  was  the  peace 
ful  go-between.  It  came  to  be  understood,  in  high 
places  of  power,  that  he  was  the  natural  mediator, 
and  transactions  were  frequently  submitted  to  him. 
His  coolness  and  courage  enabled  him  to  surmount 
difficulties  that  would  have  appalled  other  men, 
and  gained  for  him  the  respect  even  of  the  sav- 
2* 


42  MAPLE    RANGE. 

age  he  reprimanded.  His  every  act  bore  the  im 
press  of  the  lofty  Christian  charity  which  marks 
the  noble  man,  who  attributes  success  not  to  his  own 
personal  wisdom,  but  to  the  blessing  of  higher  wis 
dom,  and  gives  to  that  wisdom  all  the  glory. 

A  number  of  murders  had  been  committed  by  the 
Indians  in  different  localities.  Most  unprovoked  that 
of  two  white  women,  on  the  upper  Mississippi.  The 
first  was  shot  while  walking  beside  her  husband, 
who  carried  their  child  in  his  arms.  The  reason 
given  by  the  murderer  for  his  atrocious  deed,  was, 
"She  did  not  carry  the  papoose  herself,  as  a  squaw 
should,  and  must  be  made  to  do."  The  second 
was  a  missionary  lady,  shot  through  the  uncur 
tained  window  of  her  room,  while  attending  upon  a 
sick  child.  The  murderers  in  both  cases  escaped 
their  merited  punishment ;  but  public  indignation 
was  so  aroused  by  these  crimes,  that  the  most 
trifling  indiscretions  on  the  part  of  Indians  were 
magnified  to  grave  offenses.  Some  difficulties  had 
cropped  out  between  the  settlers  in  the  vicinity  of 
Maple  Range  and  Mock-ane-sah\s  band.  Mr.  May- 
nard,  as  usual  acted  as  mediator,  had  with  Robert 
visited  their  reservation,  and  witli  success.  Home  was 
doubly  enjoyable  after  the  roughing  and  camping, 
the  fire  of  early  autumn  delightful,  and  the  faces  of  his 
wife  and  daughter  fair  to  him.  Is  it  any  wonder  his 
spirits  were  high,  and  that  the  incidents  of  their  jour 
ney  wore  a  soft  coloring,  and  were  related  in  a  graphic 
charming  way,  so  that  the  inmates  of  his  home,  with 
him  did  not  suspect  the  treacherous  red  man.  After 
supper  the  evening  sped  rapidly. 


THE   MAPLES.  ±6 

"I  was  very  glad,  mother,"  said  he,  "that  Robert 
was  with  me.  He  made  agreeable  acquaintance  with 
the  ladies,  with  the  result,  I  think,  of  obtaining 
sympathy  ;  I  think  his  acquaintance  led  to  the  imme 
diate  and  pacific  adjustment  of  my  commission." 

"O  mother,"  said  Robert,  hurriedly  ;  then,  recol 
lecting  himself,  "  Pardon  me,  father,  for  interrupting 
you." 

"No  matter!  Proceed,  my  son,"  the  father 
replied  kindly. 

"In  the  woods  I  met  a  woman,  unlike  an  Indian, 
save  in  some  portions  of  her  dress.  She  was  not 
fair,  still  she  was  no  darker  than  Mrs.  Wilson  is,  but 
more  graceful  and  lovely  than  any  woman  I  ever 
saw. " 

"Take  care  !  take  care,  my  boy  !  "  said  Mr.  May- 
nard,  with  a  gesture  toward  Robert  as  if  threatening 
chastisement,  while  his  whole  face  beamed  only  love 
and  merriment.  "I  say,  take  care  !  Mother  is  the 
handsomest  woman  in  the  world  !  You  must  except 
her — indeed,  you  must." 

"  Certainly,  father  !  It  will  take  longer  journeys 
I  hope  to  obliterate  the  instincts  of  good  training. 
My  mother  taught  me  never  to  involve  present  com 
pany  in  praise  or  censure.  Her  lessons  are  indelible," 
he  replied,  looking  proudly  at  her  of  whom  he  spoke, 
and  upon  whose  lashes  lay  the  suspicion  of  a  tear,  as, 
slightly  bowing  in  acknowledgment  of  his  tribute, 
she  said  : 

"We  all  believe  in  your  loyalty,  Robbie!  but 
see  how  impatient  Nellie  is  getting  for  your  wonder 
ful  story." 


44  MAPLE    RANGE. 

"I  was  in  the  woods  one  day,"  he  continued, 
"•with  some  young  Indians,  shooting  at  a  target,  and 
rushed  with  them  to  examine  the  mark,  knowing, 
however,  that  the  indenture  was  central,  though  the 
marksman  did  not  braid  his  hair  or  wear  a  blanket. 
Just  as  we  reached  the  tree,  a  woman  stepped  out  of 
the  undergrowth,  took  hold  of  my  arm,  and  with  a 
voice  thrillingly  sweet,  spoke  to  me  both  in  French 
and  good  English,  asking  my  name,  residence  and 
age.  I  took  off  my  hat,  mother,  as  I  would  have 
done  to  the  queen,  and  answered  her  as  reverently. 
After  which,  she  said  :  '  I  have  a  son  just  a  few  years 
yonger  than  you,  home.  He  must  be  very  hand 
some,  as  I  know  him  to  be  good  and  true  ;  but  oh,  I 
can  never  see  him — never  press  him  to  my  hungry 
heart,  as  your  mother  may  you  ;  can  even  never  know 
if  always  I  must  bear  this  exile.  It  is  long  since  I 
have  heard  your  accent,  or  seen  a  white  face,  and  it 
really  does  me  good  to  speak  with  you.  I  am  only 
the  Indian  woman,  Miannetta  ;  but  my  children, 
whom  your  voice  seems  to  bring  nearer  to  me — the 
best  beloved  of  my  sad  heart — are  not  Indians  in 
name  or  resemblance.'  She  sank  on  the  ground  and 
wept  bitterly,  while  I  stood  there  and  pitied  from  my 
inmost  soul,  yet  feeling  that  no  word  of  mine  could 
comfort  her  in  her  mysterious  affliction." 

"But  she  had  told  you  your  voice  brought  her 
comfort ;  that  her  children  were  nearer,  in  seeming. 
I  think  you  had  great  inducements  to  converse  with 
her  ;  yet  I  do  not  at  all  wonder,  my  child,  when  you 
stood  as  dumb  in  the  presence  of  sorrow  you  could 
not  fathom.  I  should  doubtless  have  been  had  I  such 


THE    MAPLES.  4:5 

an  adventure — to  listen  to  such  an  avowal  of  woe," 
said  Mrs.  Maynard. 

"I  hope  she  did  not  wear  a  real  Indian  blanket," 
said  Nellie;  "or,  if  she  did  wear  one,  that  it  showed 
the  aristocratic  number  of  points."  Robert  con 
tinued  : 

' '  I  felt  no  farther  interest  in  the  target  shooting,  I 
assure  you,  but  sat  long  and  talked  with  her  of  our 
selves,  of  the  settlement  of  Maple  Range,  and  the 
discouragements  father  encountered  in  his  diplomatic 
matters,  to  all  which  she  listened  intently,  and 
answered  intelligently;  but  said  nothing  more  of 
herself  and  her  pale-faced  kindred.  I  saw  her  but 
once  again.  It  was  the  morning  we  left — the  one  that 
followed  the  final  settlement  of  difficulties.  She 
bade  me  a  friendly  good-by,  and  promised  to  visit  us. 
What  do  you  think  of  that,  Nellie  ?  " 

"Think?  I  can  not  stop  to  think,  I  am  so  impa 
tient  to  see  her  !  Did  you  make  her  acquaintance, 
father  ? " 

"  No,  daughter  ;  but  am  greatly  interested  in  her 
mysterious  history.  '  Who  can  she  be  ? '  I  ask  over 
and  over  again." 

"I  am  thinking,  too,"  said  Mrs.  Maynard,  "how 
she  may  have  suffered — how  she  must  ever  suffer — 
poor  child  of  woe." 

"How  have  you  got  along,  reciting  alone,  Nell," 
said  Robert,  after  a  little  silence. 

"Nicely,"  was  the  reply.  "I  have  finished  the 
grammar,  philosophical  notes  and  all,  and  parted  for 
ever  with  my  old  aversion,  fusty,  musty  Mr.  Kirk- 
ham." 


46  MAPLE    RANGE. 

"You  never  liked  grammar,  I  remember,  and  I 
am  glad  for  your  sake  the  work  of  acquisition  is 
done. " 

"Grammar  was  tiresome,  and,  I  used  to  think, 
very  useless,  until  Mrs.  Wilson  came,  and  I  compared 
her  manner  of  speaking  with  mother's.  I  shall  never 
ferget  how  my  face  crimsoned  once,  when  she  said 
something  to  me,  which  I  thought  would  mortify  her 
when  she  discovered  her  blunder." 

"She  has  never  discovered  it,  I  dare  say;  but 
what  was  it  ?  "  said  Robert. 

"I  was  saying  to  Ruth  Ann,  the  night  they  came 
here,  'How  I  wish  I  had  a  sister,'  Mrs.  Wilson, 
overhearing  me,  which  I  did  not  intend  she  should, 
turned  round  to  me  and  said  :  '  You  hain't  never  had 
none,  eh  ? '  Incorrect  as  the  whole  sentence  was,  in 
a  minute  I  had  repeated  the  rule  :  '  Two  negatives  are 
equivalent  to  an  affirmative,' adding,  'I  know  now 
the  application  of  that  rule.'  A  few  minutes  later, 
when  she  asked,  'Be  you  very  lonesome  without  no 
sister  ? '  my  ears  tingled  as  Ruth  Ann's  must  have, 
when  she  boxed  them  to  cure  her  wool-gathering." 

The  remembrance  caused  a  general  laugh,  and, 
waiting  a  minute  for  composure,  Mrs.  Maynard  said : 

"  You  are  behind,  Robert,  in  consequence  of  this 
trip  with  father." 

"Yes,  ma'am  ;  but  I  will  study  harder  to  catch 
up.  Let  me  recall  my  latest  achievements  —  transla 
tions,  I  believe.  Oh,  yes  ;  I  have  them — a  German 
proverb,  '©en  ^utJ)tgen  gefyort  bie  SSett,'  'The  world 
belongs  to  the  courageous ; '  and  this  rendering  of 
the  Latin  :  '  Opportunity  has  hair  in  front ;  behind, 


THE   MAPLES.  47 

she  is  bald.  If  you  seize  her  by  the  forelock,  you 
may  hold  her ;  but  if  suffered  to  escape,  not  Jupiter 
himself  can  catch  her  again." 

uln  the  spirit  of  the  first,  I  will  profit  by  the 
letter  of  your  last  translation,"  said  Mr.  Maynard, 
with  a  merry  twinkle  in  his  eye,  "and  'seize  the 
present  opportunity'  to  propose  preparations  for 
bed." 

Together  they  all  sang  : 

"  The  day  is  past  and  gone  ; 

The  evening  shades  appear  ; 
Oh,  may  we  all  remember  well, 
The  night  of  death  draws  near. 

"  We  lay  our  garments  by, 
Upon  our  beds  to  rest  ; 
So  death  will  soon  disrobe  us  all 
Of  what  we  here  possess. 

"  Lord  !  keep  us  safe  this  night  — 

Secure  from  every  fear  ! 
Let  angels  guard  us  while  we  sleep, 
Till  morning  light  appear  ! 

"  And,  when  we  early  rise 

And  view  the  unwearied  sun, 
May  we  set  out  to  win  the  prize, 
And,  after  glory,  run  ! 

"  And,  when  our  days  are  past, 
And  we  from  time  remove, 
Oh,  may  we  in  Thy  bosom  rest — 
The  bosom  of  Thy  love  !  " 

Good-nights  were  affectionately  exchanged,  and 
ere  long  the  sweet  angel  of  sleep  poised  watchfully 
over  The  Maples. 


48  MAPLE  RANGE. 


CHAPTEE    II. 

FOREST    DAYS. 

"The  early  days — the  claya  when  we  were  pioneers." 

SINCE  the  events  recorded  in  the  preceding  chap 
ter,  Springs  and  Autumns  have  come  and  gone. 
Minnesota's  face  is  fairer  and  her  children  more 
numerous  and  exacting  of  her  favors.  Having  thrown 
off  Territorial  trammels,  she  has  taken  a  proud  posi 
tion  in  the  procession  of  States.  The  financial  crisis 
of  1857,  the  year  before  she  was  admitted  into  the 
Union,  proved  to  be  "the  birth  moon  of  her  agricul 
tural  greatness."  Speculation  in  Western  lands  was 
suddenly  checked — one  happy  result  of  the  stupend 
ous  collapse  which  proved  the  old  saw,  "It's  an  ill 
wind  that  blows  nobody  good." 

In  many  of  the  Western  States,  the  speculator, 
ever  on  the  alert — quick  to  scent  marketable  property, 
even  when  it  has  no  appreciable  value — managed  to 
distance  the  immigrant  in  his  slow-moving  ox-train, 
and,  before  his  arrival,  had  bought  up  the  most  desir 
able  lands  at  government  price — a  fact  to  which  large 
tracts,  in  their  native  wildness,  in  the  most  beautiful 
section  of  the  Mississippi  Valley,  bear  melancholy 
testimony. 

In  Minnesota,  fortuitous  circumstances  had  placed 
most  of  the  public  lands  beyond  reach,  except  under 


FOREST   DAYS.  49 

the  provisions  of  the  pre-emption  law.  Through  the 
bursting  of  the  bubble  in  1857,  speculation  met  with 
a  sudden  revulsion.  Money  disappeared,  and  property 
depreciated  with  a  rapidity  equal  to  its  former  infla 
tion.  Immigration  almost  ceased,  and  upon  immigra 
tion  the  Territory  depended  for  the  rapid  growth  on 
which  was  based  the  enhanced  value  of  property. 
The  rates  of  interest,  paid  by  sanguine  speculators, 
were  fabulous.  When  property  suddenly  fell,  spec 
ulators,  ruined,  went  their  way.  Here  let  me  say, 
the  passage  of  the  homestead  act,  years  afterward, 
saved  forever  from  their  blighting  grasp  our  beautiful 
and  productive  State.  To  the  poor  man's  children 
to-day,  it  is  a  heritage  inalienable,  except  through 
their  voluntary  act. 

While  portions  of  contiguous  States  lie  idle,  held 
by  non-residents  at  prices  above  the  reach  of  immi 
grants,  the  fertile  lands  of  Minnesota — one  of  the 
healthiest  States  in  the  Union — are  reserved  by  legis 
lation  for  the  homes  of  those  who,  through  toil,  may 
become  veritable  monarchs. 

Many  of  the  victims  of  the  great  commercial 
reverse  turned,  sad  and  depressed,  to  the  hitherto 
despised  occupation  of  forming,  and  sought  by  unac 
customed  labor  to  avert  the  doom  that  seemed  to  hang 
over  themselves  and  families.  Like  the  fabled  Antaeus, 
many  of  them  were  invigorated  and  refreshed  by 
touching  their  mother  earth  and  mingling  freely  with 
that  ancient  peerage  whose  coat  of  arms  an  eminent 
statesman  has  called  ' '  a  pair  of  shirt-sleeves. "  This 
sensible  method  of  meeting  disaster  was  not  only  a 
domestic  blessing,  in  bringing  plenty  home,  but  a 
D  3 


50  MAPLE    RANGE. 

public  good,  since  it  greatly  augmented  the  area  of 
cultivated  acres,  which,  in  1857,  was  estimated  at 
forty-eight  thousand,  and,  in  1860,  had  reached  the 
grand  total  of  four  hundred  and  thirty-three  thousand 
two  hundred  and  sixty-seven  acres.  Thus  you  see 
how  that  which  is  baneful  to  one  becomes  another's 
wholesome  meat.  Princely  fortunes  were  swallowed 
up  in  a  disastrous  wave,  but  the  wave  rolled  on, 
proving  itself  a  blessing  to  this  remote  garden. 
Many  whom  the  remorseless  sea  had  torn  from  their 
anchorage  and  thrown,  penniless,  upon  the  virgin  soil, 
had  the  wisdom  to  realize  the  significance  of  labor, 
with  its  present  necessity  and  its  prospective  reward, 
and,  with  a  cheerful  spirit,  had  put  strong  hands  to 
the  plow,  employing  skill  and  patience  where  force 
was  not  available,  thus  becoming  thrifty  and  wealthy. 
Others,  however,  became  impatient  of  fortune,  be 
cause  she  was  tardy.  Of  this  latter  class  was  Charles 
Center.  He  had  once  been  a  successful  and  well-to- 
do  merchant  in  Chicago,  until  tempted  by  the  treach 
erous  yet  delicious  promise  that  has  lured  to  ruin 
thousands  who  were  not  content  with  well-doing.  The 
fever  of  speculation  in  Western  lands  seized  him, 
notwithstanding  his  natural  shrewdness  and  business 
qualities  ;  yet,  those  heavy  ventures  are  often  made 
by  men  even  shrewder  and  more  far-seeing  than  he. 
That  speculation  is  hazardous  and  its  consequent  fail 
ures  common,  docs  not  detract  from  the  marvelous 
charm  of  stocks  and  shares  and  real  estate,  and  did 
not  prevent  Charles  Center  from  yielding  to  the 
peculiar  hallucination.  But  misfortune  came.  The 
li'.lrring  yet  false  hopes  vanished,  and  he  was  plunged 


FOREST   DAYS.  51 

in  ruin.  Taking  his  young  wife  and  money  (the  gift 
of  her  father,  a  lawyer  of  Chicago)  enough  to  pur 
chase  a  team,  a  cow  and  a  generous  supply  of  farming 
utensils,  he  pre-empted  a  farm  adjoining  Wilson's, 
and  sought  to  bury  himself—"  the  world  forgetting," 
and,  save  by  his  creditors,  "by  the  world  forgot." 
His  was  not  a  happy  soul,  gathering  to  itself  love  by 
loving.  He  was  a  sour-tempered,  fault-finding  man, 
who,  if  a  woman,  would  have  been  termed  a  shrew. 
Clearing  off  heavy  timber  and  putting  in  a  crop,  even 
of  a  few  acres,  involves  hard  work  ;  but  this  done,  a 
mine,  rich  in  recompense,  awaits  generous  culture, 
producing  in  proportion  to  the  investment  of  seed 
and  muscle.  The  young  merchant -farmer  wrorked 
hard,  but  always  at  a  disadvantage.  He  would  plant 
this  crop  too  early,  that  too  late  ;  he  plowed  this  soil 
too  shallow,  that  too  deep  ;  and  if  admirably  adapted 
to  the  growth  of  vegetables,  ten  chances  to  one  he 
would  sow  it  to  grain,  and  vice  versa.  Failure  came 
partly  through  lack  of  recognizing  the  "sublime 
fitness  of  things  ; "  partly  through  agricultural  antag 
onisms —  unpropitious  skies,  destructive  animalculos 
and  early  or  later  frosts.  A  sour  temper  seldom  loses 
its  acidity  during  the  prevalence  of  thick  weather, 
and  every  adverse  event  served  to  make  him  more 
bitter  and  irritable.  He  knew  he  was  inexperienced  ; 
but  he  would  not  see  that  failure  came  often  because 
he  refused  to  advise  with  farmers,  who,  by  a  life-long 
practice,  had  been  educated  to  their  vocation.  Instead 
of  seeking  information  and  by  a  change  of  tactics 
achieving  ultimate  success,  he  was  many  times  on  the 
point  of  yielding  to  despair,  and  declaring  all  further 


52  MAPLE   RANGE. 

effort  useless.  He  attributed  all  to  his  particular 
demon,  luck,  half  believing  his  patient,  quiet  wife 
was  in  league  with  that  much  abused  author  of  men's 
misfortunes,  inasmuch  as  now  and  then  she  was  roused 
from  her  reticence  and,  woman-like,  would  say  exas- 
peratingly,  ' '  I  knew  it  would  be  so  !  "  Late  in  the 
Autumn  of  his  second  year,  his  grain  harvest,  all 
told,  afforded  but  one  load  of  wheat,  and  with  this 
and  his  cowr  (which  he  proposed  selling)  tied  behind 
his  wagon,  he  started  for  market — quite  a  long  jour 
ney.  His  team  was  the  envy  of  many  a  richer  man 
— noble  bays.  They  stood  at  the  door  a  short  time 
before  starting,  while  he  secured  some  bolt  beneath 
the  wagon  box.  His  wife  came  out  writh  her  baby, 
and  held  him  up  to  caress  them.  As  Center  got  onto 
the  wagon  and  gathered  up  the  reins,  she  spoke  with 
an  apparent  effort  at  cheerfulness,  that  could  not  dis 
guise  her  apprehension  that  her  words  would  call  out 
some  unkind  retort  : 

"  Charlie,  dear!  I  put  my  watch  into  your  lunch 
eon  basket.  Will  you  be  kind  enough  to  exchange 
it  in  town  for  some  flannel  and  shoes  for  little  Carlos? 
He  's  so  delicate,  I  think  he  needs  thicker  clothing, 
and  warm  shoes  and  stockings — and  my  watch  is  so 
useless  !  Will  you  take  the  trouble  to  make  this 
exchange  ? 

' '  No  ;  I  am  no  lacquey  to  run  errands  !  I  hate 
paltry  bargains,  and  you  know  it !  It  would  save 
appearances  if  you  were  willing  to  wait  till  you  have 
the  money  to  buy  flannel  and  shoes ;  but  you  could  n't 
be  satisfied  to  let  me  start  for  town  without  some  dis 
agreeable  commission  !  " 


FOREST   DAYS.  53 

"Well,  I  will  take  the  watch  out,  Charlie,  if  you 
don't  want  to  sell  it  for  me,"  she  said  ;  and  sitting 
the  child  down,  she  climbed  up  over  the  wheel.  She 
was  standing  with  one  foot  on  the  hub,  reaching  over 
to  get  hold  of  the  basket,  when  he,  with  brutal  impa 
tience,  though  well  aware  that  he  was  imperiling  her 
life,  started  up  the  spirited  horses,  saying  : 

' '  I  have  no  time  to  wait.  You  seem  to  think  that 
the  machinery  of  the  universe  must  stop  while  you 
recover  your  breath,  lost  in  running1  after  some  torn- 

«/  o 

foolery  !     It 's  enough  to  make  a  man  swear !  " 

'•  O  Charlie  !  don't  be  so  cross,''  she  said,  as  by  a 
dexterous  spring  she  avoided  the  revolving  wheel  and 
lifted  her  pleading  eyes  up  to  his,  that,  were  flashing 
with  anger :  u  If  you  leave  me  in  anger,  I  shall  cry 
myself  to  death." 

' '  Cry  and  be  damned,  then  !  I  wish  I  was  going 
away  forever !  You  do  nothing  but  cry  and  complain  ! 
Get  up,  Selim  !  " 

He  was  gone,  this  man  for  whose  love  she  had  left 
an  aflectionate  father's  house — gone  without  a  word 
of  farewell  to  herself,  or  a  smile  to  her  boy.  She 
turned  into  the  house,  and  wept  long  and  bitterly  as 
she  recalled  the  many  evidences  of  his  coldness  and 
the  unkind  words  that  had  taken  the  place  of  the 
honeyed  expressions  wrhich  once  made  her  blessed 
mother's  love  seem  tame  and  common-place.  As  she 
sat,  thus  absorbed  in  her  own  miserable  thoughts,  she 
heard  not  the  light  step  of  a  bare  foot  upon  the  floor. 
A  brown,  toil-hardened  hand  was  laid  kindly  on  her 
shoulder,  honest  gray  eyes  looked  down  into  hers, 


54  MAPLE   KANGE. 

swimming  in  tears,  and  the  voice  of  Mrs.  Wilson, 
subdued  by  real  feeling,  said  : 

"Now,  du  tell  what's  been  and  happened,  to  put 
ye  out  so  !  I  mind  the  time  (the  wust  time  ever  put 
over  my  head),  when  you,  a  sweet,  young  thing, 
unselfish  of  your  sweetness  as  the  blossom  that  ye 
looked  like,  hunted  out  a  poor,  no-account  cretur,  on 
the  bow  of  a  steamboat,  takin'  on  jest  that  ar  fashion, 
and  yer  words,  full  of  comfort  and  hope,  brought 
that  poor  cretur  to  the  light  of  the  truth  and  the  joy 
of  bclievin'.  Though  I  never  wished  ye  to  have  sorrer 
like  that  of  mine  that  day,  yet  I  have  always  wished 
I  could  prove  my  gratitude,  and  comfort  ye.  Come, 
tell  me  all  }'er  grief,  for  two  can  tote  a  sorrer  better 
than  a  lone  body,  an'  I  take  it  fortnit  I  came  over  to- 
day." 

Yes,  it  was  fortunate,  for  there  was  a  special  need 
of  her.  Unconsciously,  she  had  a  mission,  and  she 
performed  it  faithfully,  to  her  own  infinite  advantage 
as  well.  There  are  anointings  for  coronation  less 
illustrious  than  Hebron  knew.  Her  humble  words 
were  as  balm  to  the  sorrow  of  her  friend.  Mrs. 
Center's  tears  were  dried.  Cheerfulness  came  back 
to  her — came  back,  but  not  through  revealing  the 
cause  of  her  sorrow.  On  her  marriage  morning,  her 
mother,  who  was  a  very  discreet  woman  and  a  noble 
wife,  had  presented  her  with  a  little  volume,  in  which 
she  had  marked  with  pencil  one  passage  :  "Have  no 
confidant,  O  wife,  save  thy  husband  ?  "  Ah,  if  wives 
would  obey  this  recommendation,  how  much  domestic 
scandal  would  be  avoided,  and  how  many  clouds 
would  fail  to  reach  the  zenith  of  gossip  and  notoriety. 


FOREST   DAYS.  55 

Mrs.  Wilson  spent  the  clay — and  it  proved  to  be  a 
profitable  one  to  both.  Mrs.  Center  gleaned  lessons 
of  economy,  needed  in  the  every-day  housekeeping 
of  those  who  "are  obliged  to  live  short,"  as  Mrs. 
Wilson  said,  while  the  pure,  untutored  soul  of  the 
latter  gathered  sweetness  and  richness  from  a  more 
refined  intelligence. 

"Come,  Mrs.  Wilson,  please  tell  me  what  ails  my 
soap.  I  can  not  coax  it  to  thicken  as  yours  does." 

They  went  down  cellar,  and  removing  a  board 
from  the  window,  Mrs.  Center  indicated  the  location 
of  the  barrel  which  her  friend  peered  into,  and  then 
said  : 

"Did  ye  taste  of  yer  ley  before  ye  biled  it  with 
yer  fat  ? " 

"  Taste  it !  of  course,  not ;  why  ?  " 
"  Why,  ye  would  a  knowed  that  't  was  too  weak  to 
make  soap.  Now,  next  time  mind  and  tech  yer 
tongue  to  the  ley,  an'  if  it  bites  right  smart,  use  it ; 
but  if  it  don't,  it  ain't  strong  enough,  that 's  cl'ar. 
Now,  if  you  will  git  a  box  of  this  yere  penetrated 
ley,  and  put  it  into  yer  bar'l,  I  '11  go  a  purty  on  it, 
ye  '11  have  soap  in  tu  days  that  '11  b'ar  up  a  cat. " 

She  discovered  that  the  brine  on  the  pork  failed  to 
cover  it,  and  directed  Mrs.  Center,  in  adding  to  it,  to 
pour  off  the  original,  scalding  and  adding  both  water 
and  salt,  boiling  all  together,  and  when  cool,  pouring 
it  on  again,  and  keeping  the  brine  higher  than  the 
pork  and  clear  as  a  crystal,  "or  yer  bacon  will  be 
rusty  in  spite  o'  yer  teeth." 

When  told  that  the  one  window  was  kept  tightly 
closed  in  Winter,  she  gave  expression  to  an  emphatic 


56  MAPLE    RANGE. 

"  Du  toll !  Now,  I  remember  yor  taters  an'  cab 
bage  all  rot  led  last  Winter,  an'  no  wonder,  if  they  got 
no  more  air  than  they  would  with  that  shet." 

"Why,"  said  Mrs.  Center,  "I  thought  them  safe 
enough,  if  frost  was  excluded." 

' '  La,  honey  !  "  was  the  rejoinder,  ' '  you  can't  live 
without  breath  ;  no  more  can  garding  truck." 

After  leaving  the  cellar,  they  had  a  nice  cup  of 
tea — light  biscuit  and  butter.  While  eating,  Mrs. 
Wilson  watched  the  child  opposite  her  very  closely, 
and  said  : 

"Ain't  yer  baby  ailin'  ?  He  looks  dreadful  white 
livered  !  " 

"I  can't  say  that  he  is  really  ill,"  was  the  reply  ; 
"  but  he  is  never  thoroughly  well,  and  seems  petulant 
as  if  in  pain,  at  night,  when  most  children  sleep 
soundly." 

"Well,  the  poor  thing  is  enamost  eat  up  with 
wums." 

"But  I  am  giving  him  vermifuge  all  the  time  ! 
what  more  can  I  do  ?  " 

"  Sling  the  bottle  into  the  middle  of  next  week— 
so  fur  that  no  dog  you  have  any  respect, for  can  find  it ! 
Make  yer  butter  tol'able  salt,  an'  whenever  he  frets 
at  night,  git  up  an'  coax  him  to  eat  a  piece  of  bread 
and  butter,  an',  if  ye  can  git  it  down  him,  a  raw 
onion.  I  Ve  pulled  quite  a  gang  of  young  'ns 
through  the  whooping  cough  an'  wums,  and  never 
used  any  other  medicine  than  I  jest  telled  ye  of." 

After  tea,  they  chatted  long  and  pleasantly.  The 
afternoon  sun  shimmered  through  the  vines  at  the 


FOREST   DAYS.  57 

window,  and  the  shadows  lengthened  in  the  yard 
before  the  door. 

"  Cur'us  things  is  shadders,  and  kinder  speakin' 
too,"  said  Mrs.  Wilson;  "but  they  are  the  most 
deceivin'  things  in  the  world — always  seemin'  to  be 
standin'  still,  and  yet  always  movin'  ;  invitin'  ye  to 
sit  down  an'  be  sociable,  and  yet  slidin'  a  way  from 
ye.  Did  ye  ever  think  about  it  ?  Shadders  is  always 
the  longest  in  the  mornin'  when  it 's  cool  an1  ye  don't 
need  'em  ;  but  when  at  noon  the  sun  pours  down  upon 
yer  head,  where  is  the  shadder  that  looked  as  if  it 
never  could  grow  less  ? " 

"  In  some  respects  not  unlike  worldly  friendships, 
always  most  generous  when  there  is  no  need,"  said 
Mrs.  Center.  "  If  sudden  misfortune  deprive  you  of 
wealth  and  real  assistance  is  needed,  ah,  then  you 
inquire  for  your  friend  as  you  just  did  for  your  morn 
ing  shadow  at  noon — Where  is  he  !  " 

"But  there  is  a  shelter  for  them  as  are  weary  in 
the  heat  of-  the  day — the  shadder  of  '  the  Rock  that 
is  higher  than  I,'  "  Mrs.  Wilson  said. 

"As  there  is  an  unfailing  friendship,"  added  Mrs. 
Center.  "He  who  glorified  the  manger,  left  upon 
the  earth  this  comforting  assurance  of  His  unchang 
ing  love:  'Lo,  I  am  with  you  always,  even. to  the 
end/" 

Just  as  the  sun  was  going  down,  Mrs.  Wilson  took 
her  departure,  for,  as  she  remarked, 

"It's  chore  time,  and  the  children  never  air 
thoughtful,  even  when  I  'm  to  hum ;  but  when  I  'm 
gone,  la,  they  are  as  triflin'  as  pasteboard  jumpin' 


58  .    MAPLE   RANGE. 

jacks,  not  even  takin'  a  hint  when  the  cows  come 
bawlin'  home." 

A  little  way  from  the  gate,  she  met  a  neighbor, 
and  saluted  him  with 

"How  d'ye  du,  Mr.  Cross?  I  hope  yer  woman 
is  purty  smart  ?  " 

"  Well,  I  can't  brag  as  to  Polly  Ann's  smartness  ; 
but  she  's  main  well,  an'  judgin'  from  your  gait,  you 
are,  too,  Betsey." 

"Oh,  yes,"  she  replied,  "  peart  as  a  nightingale. 
William  got  a  letter  from  old  Mr.  Sutton  to-day.  He 
has  been  superannuated  by  the  Illinoy  conference,  an' 
says  if  we  will  all  on  us  agree  to  help  him  a  little,  he 
will  move  up  to  Maple  Range,  take  a  claim  and  settle 
down  among  us." 

"Bless  the  Lord  !  He  is  still  on  our  side,  isn't 
He  ?  My  woman  was  jist  a  sayin',  this  arternoon— 
'Cross,'  says  she,  '  we  shall  all  backslide  if  we  don't 
stir  ourselves  up  to  new  engagedness.'  Now,  Brother 
Sutton  is  a  good  Christian  man,  and,  as  to  preachin', 
ye  know,  Betsey,  he 's  zealous  as  a  bear. " 

"  Won't  it  seem  like  old  Illinoy  though,  when  the 
new  lot  come  from  there,  an"  Brother  Sutton  among 
'em  ?  William  is  goin"1  right  around  among  ye,  to  see 
what  ye  will  do  for  the  poor  old  man,  an\  Cross,  ye 
must  n't  be  backward  about  this  !  It 's  only  '  lendin' 
to  the  Lord,'  an'  not  money  either;  it's  only  yer 
hands  out  of  yer  pocket  a  little  while." 

The  two  parted.  Mr.  Cross,  going  on,  entered 
the  house  and  found  Mrs.  Center  in  a  terrible  fright, 
holding  her  child  and  sobbing  pitifully  over  it,  Avhile 
its  wide,  staring  eyes  were  fixed  in  convulsions.  He 


FOKEST   DAYS.  59 

felt  himself  utterly  useless,  and  telling  her  he  would 
send  his  "  woman  over,"  he  set  out  rapidly  for  home. 
Just  then  a  shadow  flitted  past  the  window.  A  dark- 
browed  woman  entered  the  house,  and  Mrs.  Center 
exclain\ed : 

"O  Miannetta,  I  am  so  glad  you  have  come! 
Look  at  my  poor  dying  child  !  " 

"  Not  dying,  I  hope  !  We  will  soon  have  him 
better.  It 's  fortunate  your  tea-kettle  is  full  and  hot. 
A  warm  bath  will  bring  him  out  of  the  spasm." 

Skillful  hands  ministered  to  the  little  sufferer  all 
night,  and  the  morning  saw  him  smiling  again  ;  but 
Miannetta  remained  with  the  alarmed  mother  all  day, 
and  even  longer,  until  the  child  was  fully  restored  to 
his  usual  health. 

Now  let  us  follow  Mr.  Center  and  his  razVfortune. 
He  reached  the  river  which  lay  between  him  and  his 
destination  near  nightfall,  the  third  day  after  his 
departure  from  home,  and  drove  at  once  onto  the 
ferry  boat.  The  ferryman,  preparing  to  start  off, 
said  : 

"  You  had  better  stand  pretty  close  to  your  horses' 
heads,  if  they  are  not  accustomed  to  the  river." 

' c  They  are  too  well  trained  to  make  that  neces 
sary,"  he  replied — so  decidedly  as  to  awaken  a  little 
choler  in  the  mercurial  boatman,  who  retorted  : 

"Very  well,  sir  !  You  must  take  all  the  respon 
sibility  of  accidents,  if  any  occur.  I  make  the  sug 
gestion  only  in  the  way  of  duty.  Shall  we  tie 
them  ?  " 

"No  ;  my  voice  will  suffice  to  keep  them  quiet  ?  " 

Just  as  they  had  about  gained  the  middle  of  the 


60  MAPLE   RANGE. 

river,  a  steamer  rounded  a  curve  and  puffed  down 
toward  them,  while  a  band  on  board  struck  up  ' '  Yan 
kee  Doodle."  A  shrill  whistle  completed  the  fright 
of  the  poor  horses  that  in  the  country  had  lost  all 
memory  of  navigation  and  its  unearthly  signals. 
They  reared  and  plunged  in  a  manner  that  showed 
how  useless  was  any  human  authority.  Finally  over 
coming  all  effort  to  restrain  them,  they  plunged  fran 
tically  through  the  frail  guard  into  the  river,  dragging 
the  loaded  wagon  and  the  cow  after  them,  and  the 
deep,  remorseless  waves  closed  over  them  forever. 
Charles  Center  stood  like  one  petrified,  regarding  the 
spot  where  they  had  disappeared  ;  and  ye  *vho  have 
never  sorrowed  because  of  a  like  disposition,  will 
scarcely  credit  the  fact,  that  in  that  moment  he 
blamed  his  wife  more  than  himself ;  that  the  greater 
loss  of  horses,  wagon,  grain  and  cow,  was  less  bitterly 
considered  than  the  trifling  one  of  the  "watch  in  the 
luncheon  basket ; "  that  after  plodding  the  long,  home 
ward  way  on  foot,  and  recounting  the  circumstances 
to  her,  he  had  said  impatiently  : 

"I  can't  understand,  Clara,  what  on  earth  ever 
induced  you  to  send  that  watch.  It  was  worth  fifty 
dollars,  and  would  have  purchased  for  us  another 
cow,  which  now  we  are  likely  to  be  without  long 
enough.  It  does  seem  as  if  you  and  the  fates  were 
against  me !  Work  hard  as  I  may,  there  is  always 
some  contemptible  hitch  in  the  machinery — some 
infernal  lock  to  the  wheel !  " 

"Why,  Charlie!  one  would  suppose  from  the 
way  you  talk,  I  expected  and  really  wished  to  lose 


FOREST   DAYS.  61 

that   watch !     How  could  I  anticipate   that   terrible 
misfortune  on  the  boat?  " 

"How  could  you?  You  might  have  guessed 
something  or  other  would  happen  !  There  always 
does  !  Any  other  woman  would  have  been  more 
prudent  than  to  risk  the  last  valuable  article  she  had  ! 
Any  other  woman  would  have  thought  more  of  her 
husband's  interests ;  but  you  did  n't  care  !  Every 
thing  we  had  must  be  tucked  into  that  load  and  sold 
that  minute  !  " 

"  Do  n't  be  so  unreasonable,  Charles  !  You  know 
how  few  opportunities  we  have  for  sending  to  town, 
and  the  things  I  wished  to  get  by  selling  the  watch 
are  really  so  much  needed  !  Poor  little  Carlos  !  " 

"'Poor  little  Carlos!'  Clara,  it  is  one  eternal 
whine  about  your  needs  and  his  !  I  'm  sick  of  it ! 
Your  bread  is  sour  !  I  wish  you  could  see  some  .Mrs. 
Bacon  had  for  dinner  to-day — white  as  snow — and 
such  sweet,  nice  butter,  and  coffee  —  ah,  genuine 
amber  colored — no  such  stuff  as  this,  I  can  tell  you." 

"  Well,  I  suppose  Mrs.  Bacon  has  good  flour 
(this,  you  know,  is  made  of  grown  wheat),  several 
cows  to  make  butter  from,  and  a  nice,  cool  place  to 
set  her  milk — a  very  essential  thing  in  making  butter, 
I  assure  you  ;  and,  Charlie,  this  coffee  is  made  of  rye 
— I  am  out  of  the  Rio."' 

"  I  '11  warrant  ye  !  never  knew  it  to  fail !  get  clear 
out  of  an  article  before  you  ever  say  a  word  !  Why 
in  thunder  did  n't  you  tell  me  the  coffee  was  gone, 
when  I  went  away,  so  that  I  could  get  some  ?  " 

"Because  you  peremptorily  refused  to  undertake 


62        •  MAPLE   RANGE. 

the  sale  of  my  watch,  and  I  knew  you  would  have  no 
money,  if  you  did  not  sell  it. " 

"Did  n't  I  take  wheat  to  sell  ?" 

"Yes;  but  the  whole  load  would  scarcely  pay 
your  debts  in  town." 

"Did  n't  I  take  the  cow  to  sell  ?  " 

"Yes — with  the  avowed  intention  of  buying  an 
other  with  what  you  got  for  her." 

Seeing  she  had  the  advantage  of  him,  he  concluded 
to  return  to  his  "best  hold,"  the  subject  of  the  bread. 
He  again  made  a  home  thrust : 

' '  Clara,  I  notice  you  have  poor  bread  oftener  than 
good  ! " 

"Say,  rather,  that  you  oftener  notice  the  poor, 
but  are  silent  about  the  good." 

"  Well,  one  thing  I  can  say  !  I  never  saw  a  slice 
of  poor  bread  on  Bacon's  table  !  " 

"  Most  likely  you  would,  if  you  were  there  oftener. 
All  cooks  have  their  failures." 

"  I  do  n't  believe  Mrs.  Bacon  ever  had  a  failure. 
She  is  a  splendid  woman — far  too  intelligent  for  Sam 
Bacon." 

"  She  did  come  a  little  short  of  success,  it  seems, 
in  selecting  her  husband." 

' '  Yes,  indeed  ;  and  I  do  wonder  how  it  is  these 
particularly  fine  women  are  always  mated  with  just 
such  contemptible  fellows  !  " 

"By  your  rule  then,  Charlie,  whoever  compli 
ments  your  wife  must  disparage  you." 

"No  danger  of  compliments,  if  they  stay  to 
dinner. " 

"Perhaps  not,  unless  they  have  the  sagacity  to 


FOREST   DAYS.  63 

attribute  the  poverty  of  the  dinner  to  the  resources 
of  the  cook  ;  but  come,  it  is  high  time  we  changed 
the  subject !  Let  me  tell  you  some  pleasant  news. 
We  are  to  have  some  new  neighbors.  A  Methodist 
preacher,  his  family  and  several  other  families  are 
expected,  this  Fall,  to  settle  in  Maple  Range.  They 
are  old  acquaintances  of  both  Cross  and  Wilson." 

"More  Hoosiers!" 

"Humans,  I  hope.  There  is  not  a  woman  in  all 
my  acquaintance,  of  finer  sensibility  than  Mrs.  Wil 
son.  No  matter  if  her  speech  is  rude  ;  a  good  heart, 
with  homely  utterance,  is  preferable,  I  'in  sure,  to 
polished  speech  and  a  soul  corrupt." 

"  I  should  think  it  would  have  been  more  to  your 
taste,  then,  to  have  married  an  idiot  with  a  hare-lip/' 

"The  hare- lip  might  be  an  advantage.  Do  n't  you 
think  one  could  be  cultivated,  Charlie  ?  " 

She  knew  by  his  countenance  her  thrust  had  gone 
home,  for  he  was  painfully  sensitive.  One  moment 
she  dallied  with  the  "old  Adam"  of  revenge,  for  the 
many  personal  wounds  he  had  given  her  ;  the  next, 
the  sweetness  of  revenge  had  palled  upon  her.  Rising, 
she  stepped  round  the  table  to  him,  with  that  readi 
ness  to  right  a  wrong  characteristic  of  noble  natures. 
Stealing  her  arm  about  his  neck  and  putting  her  fore 
head  close  to  his,  now  purpling  with  anger,  she  said  : 

"Forgive  me,  my  husband  !  I  was  rude,  to  say 
what  I  could  not  mean.  I  am  so  sorry,  my  darling !  " 

Pushing  her  impatiently  away  and  laughing  a 
peculiar  laugh,  more  devilish  than  human,  utterly 
devoid  of  merriment,  he  replied  : 

"  Even  the  epithet  implied  in  your  pleasantry  is 


64  MAPLE    RANGE. 

more  agreeable  than  the  sickish  finale  with  which  you 
adorn  the  scene.  It  would  do  credit  to  a  gushing 
schoolgirl,  in  her  love  quarrels  !  Faugh,  get  away  !  " 

She  sat  down,  humbled  and  subdued — less  by  his 
words  than  her  own — by  which  she  had  fallen  in  her 
own  estimation.  In  the  silent  half  hour  that  followed, 
she  was  purchasing  a  scholarship  in  the  lofty  school 
of  self-denial.  Upon  retort  she  would  set  an  inexor 
able  seal,  and  to  herself  she  said  : 

"God  helping  me,  I  will  bear  all  that  is  in  store 
for  me — will  bear  it  and  be  still. " 

About  two  months  later,  one  still,  cold  Winter  morn 
ing,  just  as  the  sun  showed  his  disk  at  the  verge  of  the 
sky,  and  his  two  Winter  satellites  (termed  sun-dogs 
by  the  woodsman)  established  themselves  on  cither 
side — an  unmistakable  indication  of  extreme  cold- 
old  Mock-ane-sah  paused  on  the  outskirt  of  the  big 
clearing.  He  watched  the  wreaths  of  smoke  emerar- 

o  o 

ing  gray  from  the  chimneys,  growing  white  and 
voluminous  in  the  sunlight,  and  then  thinning  out 
to  threads  of  blue,  till,  victims  of  an  inordinate 
desire  to  rise  in  the  world,  they  lost  all  outline  and 
were  dissolved  in  ether.  Mentally  calculating  the 
strength  of  the  late  reinforcement  of  whites  to  the 
settlement ;  with  great  gravity  and  deliberation, 
counting  off  the  curling  columns  upon  his  fingers,  his 
only  arithmetic,  he  found  that  his  ten  tawny  digits 
"just  filled  the  bill."  The  ten  hardy,  heartsome 
families  were  a  welcome  addition  to  the  Maple  Range 
settlement,  giving  new  courage  to  the  active  forest 
band,  and  the  frosty  air  was  resonant  of  busy  life.  The 
sound  of  many  industrious  axes  rang  through  the 


FOREST   DAYS.  65 

echoing  woodland.  Ungainly  oxen,  with  slow  gait, 
plowed  innumerable  cross  roads  in  the  deep  snow,  and 
drew  the  great  logs  away  to  Watkin's  new  mill,  on 
the  Waubece,  in  Clipnockum  Hollow,  where,  with 
shining  saw,  it  stood  ready  to  adjust  its  gates  and  hum 
a  utilitarian  lay,  when  Spring  should  unfetter  the 
winding  river.  There  was  a  holiday  inaugural  at 
Wilson's,  and,  more  momentous  still,  a  wedding  on 
Christmas  day.  Benjamin  Palmer  had  brought  a  load 
of  household  goods  for  his  uncle,  Carcc  Smith,  one  of 
the  new  settlers,  intending  to  return  to  "  Illinoy  ; " 
but  he  had  changed  his  mind  and  taken  a  farm  on  the 
western  lake-shore,  south  of  Mr.  Maynard's.  It  was 
a  beautiful  selection,  and  valuable  as  well — half  prai 
rie  and  half  timber — and  had  fallen  into  hands  that 
would  develop  its  inherent  wealth.  Ben  was  an 
industrious,  well-informed  man,  who  believed  in  the 
union  of  thought  and  toil.  He  had  already  built  a 
plain,  but  neat,  substantial  frame  house — white,  with 
green  blinds — which  promised  to  look  very  pretty 
when  the  grove,  in  which  it  would  be  half  hidden, 
was  green  again  and  the  lake  lighted  with  flash  of 
Summer  sun.  His  barn  was  in  process  of  erection — a 
roomy  and  convenient  structure,  adapted  to  the  needs 
of  a  good  farmer.  He  tightened  the  reins  over  a  pair 
of  chestnut  six-year-olds  ;  was  said  to  have  a  comfort 
able  fund  at  interest,  and,  what  is  rare  at  his  age,  the 
good  judgment  to  draw  from  it  only  for  the  purpose 
of  more  discreet  investment.  Add  to  these  solid 
recommendations  the  fact  that  he  was  both  good  look 
ing  and  agreeable,  and  you  will  be  prepared  to  take 
an  interest  in  him,  as  well  as  the  girls  (who  these 
E  3* 


66  MAPLE   RANGE. 

were,  \ve  shall  not  now  inquire)  that  admired  and 
angled  for  him.  However  this  may  be,  Ben  had  fallen 
in  love  with  our  old  acquaintance,  Ruth  Ann.  Wait 
a  minute,  reader  !  She  is  so  improved  that,  although 
I  credit  you  with  the  best  memory  in  the  world,  I  am 
certain  you  would  not  know  her.  The  past  two  years 
she  has  lived  at  The  Maples,  and  her  hoydenish  man 
ners  are  much  toned  down.  Her  rather  coarse  features 
have  assumed  a  pleasing  regularity.  Her  teeth  (of 
which  she  is  so  careful)  and  complexion  are  fault 
less.  She  is  rather  fleshy,  but  dresses  neatly  and  in 
good  taste.  Altogether,  she  is  really  a  nice-looking 
girl,  and  being  sweet-tempered  and  obliging  is  very 
much  loved.  When  Ben,  who  had  taken  her  sleigh- 
riding,  told  her  one  starry  night,  a  few  weeks  ago, 
how  happy  he  would  be  to  call  her  wife,  next  Christ 
mas  day,  she  could  not  find  it  in  her  gentle  heart  to 
thwart  his  happiness.  She  could  not  say  him  "  Nay."1' 
So,  now  come  the  guests  to  witness  his  happiness, 
and  judging  by  the  smile  that  now  and  then  irradiates 
her  features — hers  as  well.  Nearly  all  have  arrived, 
except  Robert  and  Nellie  Maynard  ;  and  there  are  ill- 
natured  ones  who  wish  something  would  prevent  their 
coming  ;  who,  if  not  jealous,  yet  feel  a  prejudice, 
not  infrequent  with  ignorant  folk,  against  those  more 
popular  and  wealthy.  A  little  knot  of  women  is 
seated  near  a  window — among  them,  Mrs.  Center  and 
Mrs.  Cross,  a  sharp-featured  woman,  with  small,  keen, 
coal-black  eyes  and  a  rasping  voice  that  recalls  one  of 
my  childhood's  memories — an  old  hunchback  meat 
man,  playfully  placing  his  ponderous  steel  beside  my 
ear,  and  drawing:  his  huije  butcher-knife  across  it. 


FOREST   DAYS.  6 

Mrs.  Ellis,  the  third  one  of  this  group,  is  a  handsome, 
rosy  little  body,  all  life,  all  animation,  never  finding 
anything  in  this  world  but  enjoyment.  Of  course, 
she  does  nothing  to  add  to  this  world's  misery  ;  but, 
on  the  contrary,  is  largely  instrumental  in  adding  to 
the  sum  of  human  happiness.  One  look  at  her  round, 
eloquent  face,  her  bright  hazel  eyes — to  once  hear  her 
speak — were  always  enough  to  unite  the  neighbors  in 
social  harmony,  for,  though  quite  unconscious,  the 
rich  flow  of  her  simple  good  nature  was  irresistibly 
contagious.  There  was  a  murmur  of  subdued  con 
versation  running  through  the  room.  Mrs.  Cross 
nudged  her  right-hand  neighbor,  and,  leaning  over, 
confidentially,  said  : 

"  I  am  thinkin',  Miss  Center, that  'twould  be  a  heap 
better  for  \ve  'uns,  if  them  thar  big  bugs  would  stay 
away ;  like  as  any  way  if  they  come,  we  shall  be 
poked  at  as  no  account  by  them  all,  for  ye  know  a 
Guinea  hen  is  no  show  in  the  same  yard  with  a  pea 
cock. 

"She  has  the  compensation  of  a  marvelous  voice, 
at  least,"  said  Mrs.  Center,  smiling. 

"  Quantity  if  not  quality,"  said  Mrs.  Ellis,  striving 
to  look  innocent,  but  the  fun  cropping  out  all  over  her 
pleasant  face. 

Mrs.  Cross  was  not  to  be  diverted  from  her  pur 
pose,  and  continued— 

"  They  do  say  as  how  that  thar  girl  of  Maynard's 
couldn't  as  much  as  wash  her  pocket  handkercher. 
If  her  mother  had  good  sense  she'd  try  to  larn  her  a 
little  housework. 

"Why,"  said  Mrs.  Ellis,  "  I  should  as  soon  think 


68  MAPLE   RANGE. 

of  making  pavements  of  thistle-down,  or  of  utilizing 
the  milky  way,  of  cooking  my  breakfast  by  the  sun's 
rays,  of  accomplishing  any  impracticable  thing  in 
fact,  as  of  setting  that  delicious  little  thing  to  do 
housework.  Why  you  can  almost  fancy  her  with 
wings,  dropped  from  the  skies,  to  win  hearts  to 
purity  by  winning  them  to  herself." 

"  O — "  said  Mrs.  Cross,  while  her  eyes  took  on  a 
beryl  hue,  and  the  turned  up  nose  was  elevated  still 
higher,  "  If  she  was  a  poor  man's  child,  I  reckon  she 
would  lose  all  that  folderol  deliciousness,  drop  her 
wings,  and  be  showed  the  use  of  her  hands.  I  alias 
hated  pets  anyhow,  an'  it  makes  me  out  of  patience 
to  see  you  uns,  run  stark,  starin'  mad  about  the  May- 
nards.  I  never  seed  any  of  'em  but  Robert,  but 
Cross  has  worked  for  'em,  and  he  says  they  are  as 
stuck  up  as  Lucifer.  Why  at  every  meal  they  eat  off 
real  cheeny  ware,  with  these  'ere  narrer  silver  spoons 
with  slits  in  'em,  and,  as  if  they  was  the  greatest  of 
strangers,  they  palaver  and  nod  over  their  '  thank 
you's'  an'  'if  you  pleases,'  an'  as  though  they  was 
goin'  across  the  ocean,  instead  of  into  the  next  room, 
they  bid  each  other  good-night,  when  they  go  to  bed, 
and  good-mornin'  when  they  get  up,  as  if  they'd 
been  gone  a  year.  And  Miss  Maynard,  only  think,  a 
putting  a  cap  on  her  head  when  she  sweeps  her  own 
room.  And  one  day  Cross  said  the  great  fat  thing 
put  on  gloves  to  go  out  to  the  gardmg  and  pick  a 
bowl  of  raspberries.  Now  I\l  like  to  know  if  there's 
any  sense  in  sich  kind  of  ornerry  doin's.  Hadn't 
they  better  put  on  sackcloth  and  ashes,  and  think 
:il unit  their  soul's  salvation,  instead  of  continually 


FOREST   DAYS.  69 

running  after  the  folly s  of  the  world.  I  wonder  why 
the  Almighty  is  so  long  sufferin'  with  some  folks,  an' 
if  He  raly  will  have  another  purification  like  Sodom 
an'  Gommorroh.  How  are  you  growing  in  grace, 
Miss  Center?  Do  you  feel  the  indwellin'  of  the 
Hoi}-  Sperrit,  or  do  ye  git  worldly  minded  and  luke 
warm — 

Mrs.  Wilson  came  along  just  then,  and  supposing 
the  last  remark  was  addressed  to  herself,  she  replied 
unctuously  and  very  sincerely,  as  she  sat  down. 

"No,  Mrs.  Cross,  I  ain't  a  lukewarm  Christian. 
I  never  allow  myself  to  neglect  to  replenish  the  faith 
that  keeps  me  warm.  It  is  our  blessed  privilege  to 
live  so  near  the  throne,  that  we  may  feel  every  hour 
of  our  lives  its  peace  and  glory.  Come  here,  Tad. '' 

"I  am  glad  to  hear  you  speak  so,  Betsy,"  said 
Mrs.  Cross,  and  as  Tad  was  lifted  upon  his  mother's 
lap,  a  throne  none  younger  had  ever  disputed  with 
him,  she  asked  of  the  mother,  though  really  address- 

o  «/ 

ing  the  child  with  her  eyes,  "Does  Taddy  know  'I 
want  to  be  an  angel.' ' 

"Well  what  hinders  ye.  Pap  says  ye  boss  the 
loft,"  was  the  childish  rejoinder,  cut  short  by  a  sud 
den  pinch  administered  by  his  mother.  But  this  ad 
monition  was  lost  on  Mrs.  Cross,  who  had  not  even 
noticed  Tad's  remark,  so  intent  was  she  on  pressing 
the  original  theme. 

"I  wras  enquirin'  as  to  the  spirtual  state  of  Miss 
Center,  Betsy,  but  I  do  think  she  is  a  kind  of  still 
born  Christian,  don't  you  ?  " 

"No,  indeed,  I  think  she  is  one  of  the  Father's 


70  MAPLE    RANGE. 

elect,  a  beautiful  witness  to  His  love,   a  minister  at 
the  holy  altar,"  whispered  Betsy. 

"I  should  like  to  see  the  effect  of  the  holy  fire 
then  ;  sanctification  will  show  itself.  God's  love  will 
find  expression  sometimes,  an'  it's  a  duty  to  speak  if 
a  soul  is  raley  converted,  an'  if  they  don't  speak,  can 
we  believe  the  conversion  is  genuine,"  said  Mrs. 
Cross,  in  a  low  tone. 

Now  if  she  really  were  genuinely  converted,  no 
one  would  have  questioned  if  Mrs.  Cross  had  the  love 
of  God  continually  in  her  heart.  But  there  was  a 
question  as  to  the  good  of  parading  the  subject  of 
religion,  or  as  another  has  said,  "wearing  the  soul's 
jewel  in  the  nose,"  and  making  it  on  all  occasions  the 
subject  of  conversation.  While  'tis  for  our  continual 
peace  that  religion  be  the  spirit  of  our  thoughts,  it  is 
neither  possible  nor  profitable  to  make  it  our  per 
petual  theme.  Mrs.  Cross,  however,  had  a  zeal  not 
according  to  knowledge,  and  showed  it  in  ill-timed 
inquiries  regarding  the  state  of  other  people's  souls. 

Suddenly  turning  from  Mrs.  Wilson,  she  fired  direct 
ly  into  the  enemy's  camp.  Ben  Palmer  was  known  to 
be  a  little  skeptical,  and  Ruth  Ann  had  never  had 
any  convictions.  Sitting  there,  side  by  side  "  the 
observed  of  all  observers,"  it  was  very  startling  to 
the  blushing  girl  who  sat  waiting  her  nuptial  crown, 
when  in  a  voice  of  strained  solemnity,  Mrs.  Cross, 
addressing  her  across  the  room,  said,  "I  hope  Ruth 
Ann,  that  you  have  a  conscience  void  of  offence  to 
day,  that  you  take  this  important  step  with  an  eye 
single  to  the  glory  of  God,  pray  in'  continually  for 
grace  to  help  you  to  perform  the  duty  of  a  wife. 


FOREST    DAYS.  71 

And  you,  Ben,  I  hope  are  thinkin'  of  your  new  rela 
tion,  and  promising  God  to  erect  an  altar  in  your 
house,  for  you  will  find  it  sweet  to  commune  together, 
not  only  as  husband  and  wife,  but  as  God's  children. 
Don't  you  think  so  ? " 

The  silence  was  truly  painful,  and  the  embarrass 
ment  of  ail  complete  at  this  untimely  question,  when 
Grandma  Smith,  out  of  sympathy  for  the  young  cou 
ple,  sprang  to  her  feet,  crying, 

"Come  girls  and  boys,  don't  sit  here  like  owls. 
We  may  as  well  have  a  game  of  something.  Hold 
fast  all  I  give  you,  hold  fast  all  I  give  you." 

Round  the  room  she  went  in  the  old-fashioned 
game,  and  after  completing  the  circuit,  cried — 

44  Button  !  button  !  Who 's  got  the  button  ?  Let 
the  culprit  rise." 

The  persistent  old  lady  never  gave  up  till,  what 
with  accusing  wrongfully,  choosing  judges  and  paying 
forfeits,  the  house  was  in  a  perfect  hurly-burly.  The 
roof  was  in  danger  of  being  raised  by  the  explosions 
of  laughter,  when  some  of  the  odd  sentences  were 
enforced  ;  for  instance,  when  Jehial  Smith  was  sent 
to  Rome,  and  Mrs.  Cross  (who  regarded  the  wild  scene 
with  feigned  horror)  refused  to  show  him  hospitality 
on  his  journey,  and  positively  declined  to  be  kissed, 
declaring  it  "all  a  contrivance  of  the  adversary  of 
souls,  to  draw  our  thoughts  from  heavenly  things." 

"  You  mean  the  wedding  supper,  I  suppose,  Mrs. 
Cross '?  It  does  smell  splendid,  no  mistake  ;  and  this 
is  an  appetizer.  I  don't  believe  in  it  a  bit  more  than 
you  do  ;  but  in  Rome  we  must  be  Romans,  and  if 


72  MAPLE   KANGE. 

pickles  are  eaten  before  meat,  we  must  take  ours  a  la 
mode. " 

With  all  of  his  mother's  playfulness  and  his 
father's  strength,  he  drew  the  thin,  emaciated  form 
into  his  arms,  and  in  spite  of  her  resistance,  kissed 
her  cheeks,  alternately,  until  they  looked  like  hickory 
nuts  rubbed  with  red  chalk,  while  the  old  men  and 
women  laughed  at  her  wrath  and  discomfiture  as  im 
moderately  as  the  young  people.  This  sensation  was 
followed  by  another  equally  ludicrous.  Mr.  Cross 
was  compelled,  much  against  his  will,  to  execute  an 
Irish  hohum  with  the  prettiest  girl  in  the  room,  which 
by  general  acclamation  was  Belinda  Porter,  and  the 
look  of  martyrdom  he  assumed  called  forth  general 
applause.  Then  long  Dave  Persons  drew  the  attention 
of  the  merry-makers  by  his  awkward  attempts  to 
turn  a  double  and  twisted  "  laud  o'massie,"  with  Mrs. 
Ellis,  whose  arms  were  too  short,  as  his  were  too 
long.  The  chairs  in  which  they  stood  suddenly  parted 
company,  and  brought  down  the  laughing  couple  and 
the  house  together.  Just  then  Johnny  Wilson  rushed 
in,  with  the  announcement : 

"  Here  come  Maynard's  bells  !  " 

All  was  decorum  in  an  instant.  People  got  to  their 
seats,  and  found  their  pocket  handkerchiefs,  in  which 
they  must  have  deposited  their  merriment,  for  every 
face  assumed  its  most  becoming  company  look.  All 
was  still  within  doors  ;  but  without,  the  air  was  fairly 
jubilant  with  musical  bells,  as  the  elegant  sleigh  and 
pair  dashed  up  to  the  door.  A  handsome,  gentlemanly 
young  man  assisted  a  frail-looking  girl  from  the 
sleigh.  Together  they  entered  the  house  and  were 


FOREST   DAYS.  73 

warmly  welcomed.  Johnny  Wilson  proudly  drove 
the  horses  round  to  the  stable,  ample  and  warm,  log 
though  it  was. 

"Angels    paint,    eh?"     whispered    Mrs.    Cross, 
spitefully,  to  Mrs.  Center. 

"  Wait  a  little,"  was  the  reply.    "Nellie  has  been 
riding  in  the  cold." 

"  Must  suffer  awfully  in  all  them  there  shawls  and 
wraps  and  feather  blows  (furbelows)  !  " 

And  now  the  young  couple  advanced  to  the  center 
of  the  room,  and  were  united  in  holy  matrimony 
by  the  white-haired  minister.  The  words  that  made 
them  one  were  spoken,  the  benediction  solemnly 
pronounced,  and  silence  fell  a  space  upon  the  crowd  ; 
then  there  was  a  sudden  flutter,  a  tumult  of  impetuous 
feet,  which  accompanied  the  customary  rushing  of 
rustics  to  kiss  the  bride,  and  the  laughable  presenta 
tion  of  a  cotton  night-cap  to  the  newly  married  man, 
by  the  successful  competitor.  Then  followed  the 
usual  congratulations  and  the  merriment  occasioned 
by  the  abundant  ban  mots,  which,  though  lacking  a . 
little  in  delicacy  and  elegance,  had  still  the  merit  of 
heartiness  and  good  will ;  after  this,  the  crowning 
announcement,  "supper;"  and  in  William  Wilson's 
log  cabin,  away  upon  the  frontier,  they  sat  down  to 
a  table  whereat  a  king  might  have  supped,  with  no 
wish  ungratified.  The  eating  of  those  hard-working, 
healthy,  backwoods  men  and  women  would  have  been 
a  caution  to  dyspeptics,  only  that  dyspeptics  do  not  get 
so  far  into  the  interior  of  dear  Minnesota.  Conver 
sation  hung  fire  while  the  savory  viands  were  being 
discussed.  Long  Dave,  however,  ventured  to  observe  ; 
4 


74:  MAPLE    RANGE. 

"We  all  fall  to  as  if  it  was  a  log-rollin'  and  each 
one  on  us  claimed  to  own  the  logs,  and  was  bound  to 
get  all  the  work  out  of  the  others  by  settin'  a  lively 
example. " 

"Eat  all  ye  can,  Dave,"  said  Mrs.  Wilson,  who, 
with  vulgar  pertinacity,  insisted  upon  the  compliment 
to  her  pudding,  implied  in  the  eating. 

"  Christmas  don't  come  but  once  a  year,  an1  wed- 
din's,  to  most  folks,  but  once  in  a  life  time ;  an'  they 
ain't  no  sign  of  any  comin'  to  you,  as  I  see  ;  so,  now, 
eat !  Betsy  Wilson  has  a  right  smart  o'  failin's,  I 
allow;  but  you  all  know  she  ain't  stingy.". 

"Stingy!"  said  her  spouse,  with  an  emphasis 
intensified  by  the  enormous  tart  he  had  just  closed 
his  teeth  upon;  "Well,  thar !  that's  the  best  joke 
I  Ve  hearn  to-day.  Pass  it  round  :  '  Stingy  ! ' ' 

A  fresh  invoice  of  dainties  put  an  extinguisher 
upon  his  brilliancy,  and  he  was  compelled  to  address 
himself  to  the  inner  man,  while  uncle  Carce  Smith, 
addressing  him  good-naturedly,  said  : 

"There,  William,  you  are  whipped  for  once — what 
with  the  long — draws  from  the  metheglin  —keg — in 
the — kitchen  corner,  an' — Betsy's — pies-an'-cakes." 

"It  is  possible  the  "metheglin  keg"  had  some 
thing  to  do  with  the  liquid  condition  of  uncle  Carce's 
words.  All  things  terrestrial  must  end,  and  this 
supper  was  no  exception.  One  by  one,  the  seats 
were  vacated,  guests  saying  facetiously  : 

"  I  'm  not  hungry  ;  thank  you,  Mrs.  Wilson." 

When  all  had  risen,  grandma  stepped  with  a  busy, 
bustling  air  back  to  the  table,  saying  : 

"Come,  girls,  turn  to  here,  and  red  up  this  table, 


FOREST   DAYS.  75 

if  you  want  the  wish  bones  !  and  here,  you  boys,  lay 
hold  of  them  dish  towels,  and  wipe  the  plates  you  've 
eaten  your  supper  off.  You  must  try  to  be  useful ! 
So  much  bone  and  sinner  can't  be  wanted  for  ornament 
here  in  the  woods,  now !  Never  mind  your  meetin' 
clothes  !  The  girls  will  find  some  aprons  for  ye. 
Girls  glory  in  makin'  aprons.  Ye  need  n't  be  afeared 
of  gilt  in1  siled  !  A  man  that 's  afraid  of  a  grease  spot 
will  never  be  famous,  except  he  is  a  Sepoy." 

In  the  city,  far  from  his  home,  a  country  boy  may 
blush,  stammer  and  appear  awkward  enough ;  but 
bring  him  back  to  his  own  element,  the  backwoods  ; 
turn  him  loose  among  a  playful,  saucy  lot  of  country 
girls ;  pin  an  apron,  improvised  for  the  occasion — a 
white  flour  sack,  lettered  as  usual — about  his  waist  to 
preserve  his  "Sunday  suit  ;  put  a  calico  sun-bonnet 
on  him,  and  give  him  a  cup-towel,  and,  in  spite  of 
your  dignity,  or  the  remembrance  of  your  grandfath 
er's  funeral,  you  will  laugh  at  his  pranks  and  pro 
nounce  him  clever,  handsome  and  even  graceful. 

The  elderly  people  smiled  in  memory  of  their  own 
hilarious  youth,  for  that  memory  gave  them  the  clue 
to  the  scene  enacting  in  the  kitchen,  whence  came 
sounds  of  unmistakable  mirth. 

"How  old  is  grandma,  uncle  Carce?"said  Mrs. 
Cross,  with  a  pious  pucker. 

"  She  was  sixteen,  and  I  believe  a  little  past,  when 
I  first  saw  her,  and  she  is  a  little  past  sixteen  yet," 
was  the  quiet  reply. 

"Now  that's  a  mean  dodgin'  of  a  plain  question, 
uncle  Carce,  her  hair  is  as  white  as  snow." 

"So   is  her  heart,  Mrs.    Cross,  pure  and  young 


76  MAPLE   RANGE. 

and  full  of  all  sweet  charity,"  said  the  old  man  with 
such  earnestness,  that  none  could  doubt  the  love  that 
prompted  that  simple  eulogy  of  her,  once  the  choice 
of  his  youth,  now  the  comfort  of  his  old  age. 

At  that  moment  a  sharp  wail  brought  the  revelers 
from  the  kitchen,  and  ere  long  the  dancers  had  the 
floor. 

"Bright  eyes  looked  love  to  eyes  that  looked  again, 
And  all  went  merry  as  a  marriage  bell." 

But  the  dancing,  its  time,  and  expenditure  of 
pedal  energy,  demands  a  cleverer  pen  than  mine.  In 
fact  it  beggars  description.  Robert  Maynard  joined 
heartily  in  the  terpsichorean  exercise,  though  at  first 
a  trifle  slow.  Once  he  led  Nellie  through  a  cotillion, 
and  was  observed  to  bespeak  for  the  occasion,  music 
in  moderate  time.  Directly  afterwards  the  impa 
tience  of  other  lads  and  damsels  found  vent  in  the 
old  Irish  jig,  "  Cover  the  Buckle." 

A^ain    Mrs.    Cross,     who   was   as    malicious   as 

o 

Mephistopheles,  vented  her  spite  ;  as  Nellie  took  her 
seat  after  her  one  dance,  she  said, 

"  Well  one  thing  is  certain,  that  girl  is  too  lazy  to 
enjoy  herself.  Ef  my  Lizbith  was  to  drag  through  a 
dance  that  ar  way  I  wouldn't  own  her.  Lookee,  not 
A  bit  of  color." 

"Are  you  convinced  now  that  Nellie  doesn't 
paint  ?  "  asked  Mrs.  Center. 

"Why,  I  thought  you  was  opposed  to  dancing, 
Mrs.  Cross,"  said  Mrs.  Ellis. 

"  So  I  be,"  was  the  reply,  "  and  to  stealin',  jump- 
in'  claims,  and— 

"Envy,  backbiting — indeed  the  whole   catalogue 


FOREST   DAYS.  77 

indicated  in  the  service,  no  doubt,"  interrupted  Mrs. 
Ellis  with  mock  seriousness. 

Mrs.  Cross  raised  her  head  like  a  serpent  whose 
evil  plans  have  been  thwarted,  and  fastening  her 
bead-like  eyes  upon  Mrs.  Ellis,  she  continued. 

"I  be  opposed  to  dancing,  for  dancing  cost  one 
man  his  head." 

"Ah,  made  him  giddy  most  likely.  Some  late 
occurrence  I  presume.  But  you  have  the  advantage 
of  late  news,  which  shows  the  wisdom  of  taking  a 
paper  published  the  night  beforehand.  Now  I  mean 
to  coax  Mr.  Ellis  to  subscribe  for  the  '  Midnight  Cry,' 
and  then  I  can  hope  to  keep  up  with  the  times." 

Utterly  regardless  of  Mrs.  Ellis  and  her  irony, 
Mrs.  CrobS,  with  persistence,  which  rightly  directed 
might  have  been  praiseworthy,  but  had  no  purpose 
save  to  injure  Nellie,  continued  : 

"As  I  was  a  sayin',  I  be  opposed  to  dancin'  and  all 
sin,  but  if  a  person  will  dance,  will  commit  sin,  I  like 
to  see  'em  do  it  thoroughly." 

"No  doubt  of  it,"  said  Mrs.  Ellis,  now  almost 
brimming  over  with  merriment.  "  I  notice  your 
example  is  always  consistent  with  your  expressed 
belief.  Whatever  you  do,  you  do  thoroughly." 

Mrs.  Center,  who  felt  a  desire  that  Mrs.  Ellis 
should  bestow  the  pearls  of  her  wit  more  worthily,  if 
at  all,  said  : 

"I  am  strangely  apprehensive  sometimes,  when  I 
think  how  delicate  and  frail  Nellie  Maynard  is.  Com 
pare  '  her  little  spiritual  figure  and  waxen  face  with 
the  bride's,  as  they  sit  talking  so  animatedly.  I  am 
thinking  how  an  ardent  blast  that  would  annihilate 


78  MAPLE   RANGE. 

Nellie,  would  only  deepen  the  healthy  glow  on  Ruth's 
cheek.  Yet  in  my  heart  there  is  a  presentiment  con 
necting  these  two  in  one  terrible  calamity." 

"  O  Mrs.  Center,  do  not  indulge  in  such  mournful 
fancies.  Think  how  much  of  human  strength  sur 
rounds  and  protects  them,  to  say  nothing  of  Him  who 
holds  them  and  us  in  the  hollow  of  His  hand.  You 
remember  how  the  old  mythological  deities  were 
guarded  by  their  worshippers — with  like  care  will  we 
guard  our  little  deity  Nellie." 

Mrs.  Center  smiled  at  her  friend's  enthusiasm,  and 
as  Mrs.  Wilson,  from  across  the  room,  saw  the  smile, 
she  wished  smiles  were  not  so  rare  upon  that  face, 
which  she  remembered  so  radiant  in  her  girlhood's 
loveliness,  but  which  was  now  fast  taking  on  the  lines 
of  sorrow,  which  only  heaven's  music  could  charm 
away. 

The  night  had  waned,  and  there  had  been  "no 

O 

sleep  till  morn."  Stars  knowingly  blinking,  one  by 
one  had  disappeared.  The  wedding  party  took  the 
hint,  and,  in  imitation  of  the  stars,  one  by  one  disap 
peared  into  great  coats  and  mantles. 

"Mr.  Center,"  said  Robert.  "If  you  and  your 
wife  will  ride  with  me,  I  will  take  you  home,  while 
Nellie  is  getting  on  her  dry  goods." 

"  Thank  you,  I  accept  with  pleasure  for  my  wife, 
but  I  prefer  to  walk,  the  distance  is  nothing." 

Mrs.  Cross  was  at  the  window  looking  at  the 
handsome  turn-out,  side  by  side  with  her  own  equip 
age  (a  yoke  of  white-faced  muley  oxen  and  a  bobsled 
with  loose  boards  to  answer  for  box).  The  compari 
son  proved  too  much  for  her  Christian  equanimity. 


FOREST   DAYS.  79 

She  fired  a  parting  shot,  as  Mrs.  Center,  assisted  by 
her  husband  took  her  seat  in  the  sleigh. 

"  Some  women  is  satisfied  to  ride  with  their  own 
honest  husbands,  on  their  own  honest  bob-sleds, 
behind  their  own  honest  oxen,  and  some  women 
ain't." 

"  Some  women  happen  to  have  honest  husbands, 
honest  oxen,  and  honest  bob-sleds,  and  some  women 
haven't,  "said  Mrs.  Ellis  in  comic  mimicry. 

This  excited  no  little  fun  among  the  guests  wait 
ing  to  take  their  leave  and  exchange  neighborly  good- 
bys,  as  it  was  well-known  that  Cross  was  none  too 
scrupulous  in  his  acquisition  of  property.  His  oxen 
were  both  "bulky  and  breech  y,"  while  the  very  bob 
sled  had  come  into  his  possession  under  circumstances 
decidedly  suspicious. 

Mrs.  Cross,  however,  instead  of  taking  the  im 
plication  home  to  herself,  generously  applied  it  to 
Mrs.  Center,  looking  a  whole  sermon  from  the.  text, 
W'I  am  holier  than  thou,"  and  turning  to  Mrs.  Ellis, 
fervently  ejaculated,  "That 's  so  !  " 

As  the  rising  sun  tipped  the.  crowns  of  the  forest 
trees  with  gold,  a  curious  procession  moved  down  the 
narrow  lane  leading  from  Wilson's  house  to  the  high 
road.  The  sleigh  bells  jingled  gladly  in  the  crisp 
morning  air,  as  some  steeds,  impatient  of  curb,  reared 
and  danced,  picking  their  feet  daintily  out  of  the 
powdery  snow  with  a  rapidity  their  progress  in  no 
wise  seemed  to  justify — -a  step  altogether  unsuited  to 
the  gait  of  the  oxen  just  ahead,  for  they  were  reined 
in  without  regard  to  comeliness  or  speed,  behind 
sleepy,  plodding,  old  "break  up"  teams.  Every 


80  MAPLE   RANGE. 

sleigh,  that  morning,  whether  drawn  by  oxen  or 
horses,  was  laden  with  children,  parents  and  boister 
ous  youth,  girls  and  boys,  bent  on  frolic,  who,  heed 
less  of  danger,  expressed  only  satisfaction  at  the 
impossibility  for  once  of  the  good  teams  passing  the 
poor  ones. 

Now,  I  am  not  justifying,  but  only  relating  the 
facts.  You  must  settle  the  question  of  cruelty  and 
mercy  for  yourselves — but  there  was  an  artillery 
practice  of  bright  eyes  going  on  that  morning. 
Handsome  girls,  in  those  slow -moving  sleds,  shot 
saucy  glances  over  their  shoulders  to  helpless  drivers 
—young  men — for  the  old  ones  dared  not  pull  the 
reins  over  those  fleet,  fractious  horses.  Oh,  they 
were  merciless — these  girls — and  cared  not  if  every 
glance  found  fatal  mark.  What  business  had  a  young 
man  out  without  his  armor  on  ?  Theirs  to  speed  the 
shafts  !  Let  those  parry  that  could.  As  a  result  of 
one  of  these  last  looks,  there  was  another  wedding 
only  a  few  weeks  later.  One  of  those  very  Jehus 
thus  confessed  to  a  bantering  crowd : 

"Well,  if  you  must  know,  you  must  know  I 
suppose  ;  but  the  first  time  I  ever  thought  of  marry 
ing  Belinda  Porter," — 

"Belinda  Smith!"  cried  a  voice.  "You  can't 
dodge  that  now,  Jehial  Smith  !  " 

"Dodge  it?  I  don't  want  to;  /say  'Belinda 
Smith.''  I  never  thought  of  her,  save  as  a  good- 
looking  girl,  till  that  morning  after  Ben  Palmer  was 
married.  I  was  right  behind  her  father's  sleigh,  try 
ing  my  best  to  hold  in  father's  five  year  olds.  I 
could  n't  do  it  with  mittens  on,  if  I  had  a  clear  title 


FOREST  DAYS.  81 

to  the  road.  You  know  that,  boys '.  I  had  all  I  could 
do,  to  keep  them  from  dashing  right  over  the  sleigh 
load  in  front  of  me.  I  got  mad  as  the  mischief  at 
the  girls,  who  kept  throwing  up  their  handkerchiefs 
and  laughing,  to  scare  my  horses.  I  had  just  about 
made  up  my  mind  that  I  would  let  the  critters  go, 
and  kill  every  last  one  of  the  darned  girls,  .and  called 
to  'em  to  say  their  prayers  quick.  I  should  have  gone 
over  'em,  sure  ;  but  Belinda,  she  looked  back  at  me, 
with  a  '  Do,  if  you  dare  ! '  in  her  eyes— 

"Well,  that  beats  me!  I  never  thought  you'd 
take  a  dare,  Jehial  !  " 

"I  did,  though  ;  at  least,  I  changed  my  plan.  I 
concluded  to  marry  her  and  kill  her  by  inches,  as 
other  men  do. " 


82  MAPLE   RANGE. 


CHAPTER     III. 

SHADOWS. 

MOTHER!  what  do  you  think?  Miamietta 
has  just  come  all  the  way  on  foot  from  Ben 
Palmer's,  and  she  says  Ruth  has  the  sweetest  little  boy 
in  the  world,"  cried  Nellie  Maynard,  to  her  mother. 

"  Nellie,  you  hear  with  your  imagination  !  I  said 
she  had  a  nice  baby  boy,"  said  Miannetta.  She  had 
followed  Nellie  into  the  breakfast  room,  where  Mrs. 
Maynard  and  Robert  still  lingered  over  their  English 
breakfast  tea.  Nellie  had  been  down  to  the  gate  to 
meet  her,  and  learned  from  her  the  news  which  she, 
in  turn,  announced,  with  a  pardonable  exaggeration 
and  all  the  enthusiasm  such  events  have  awakened 
since  the  first  man-child  was  laid  in  the  arms  of  Eve. 

"What  makes  you  think  the  new  baby  'the 
sweetest  in  the  world,1  Nellie?"  said  Robert. 

"Because  it's  Ruth's  baby,  and  therefore  mine.  I 
shall  name  it  '  Freddie,'  teach  it  all  a  little  boy  should 
know,  and,  if  any  thing  happens  to  dear  Ruth,  while 
I  have  life,  no  harm  shall  ever  come  to  her'J  child. 
What  a  grand  Christinas  gift  !  " 

"While  you  are  '  taking  on,'  Miannetta  sits  there 
with  her  wraps  on.  Do  n't  you  think  a  little  present 
work  is  sometimes  worth  more  than  so  much  prospect 
ive  usefulness  ?  "  said  Mrs.  Maynard. 


SHADOWS.  83 

"Forgive  my  thoughtlessness,  Miannetta!  Take 
off  your  wraps,  and  come  close  to  the  fire  while 
I  remove  that  horrid  head-gear.  I  should  be 
tired  to  death  '  totin' '  that  on  the  top  of  my  head, 
to  say  nothing  of  the  walk  of  two  or  three 
miles — and,  child  !  your  moccasins  are  full  of  snow  ! 
Let  me  take  'em  off.  Now,  if  it  is  not  a  shame  ?  your 
hair  has  not  been  touched  since  I  put  it  up,  day  before 
yesterday.  I  will  take  it  down  and  brush  out  the 
braids,  while  you  are  drinking  that  cup  of  tea  mother 
has  poured  for  you.  Please,  let  me,"  she  insisted,  as 
Miannetta  offered  objection.  "  Never  mind  Rob  ;  he 
is  reading  on  the  other  side  of  the  room." 

A  moment  afterward,  all  forgetful  of  Miannetta's 
objection  on  his  account  and  her  own  words  of  re-as 
surance,  she  cried  : 

UO  Robert!  do  look  at  Miannetta's  hair!  Is  it 
not  perfectly  magnificent  ?  " 

The  young  man  looked  over  from  his  newspaper, 
carelessly  at  first,  and  then  with  some  surprise  and 
more  attention,  admired  the  luxuriance  of  the  raven 
hair  that  rippled  down  and  swept  the  floor,  though  its 
owner  sat  on  an  ordinarily  high  chair.  Miannetta 
might  have  been  forty  ;  but,  if  so,  she  had  so  concili 
ated  time  that  she  looked  still  voung  and  beautiful. 

«/  o 

Some  care,  unusual  to  Indian  women,  had  preserved 
her  complexion  from  their  bronze,  though  darker  than 
the  average  brunette  of  the  Anglo-Saxon  race.  She 
was  reticent,  an  universal  favorite  in  the  settlement, 
and  considered  indispensable  in  cases  of  illness  or 
accident,  much  to  the  discomfiture  of  poor,  spiteful 
Mrs.  Cross — her  one  enemy,  who  had  medical  preten- 


84:  MAPLE   RANGE. 

sions  and  was  wont  to  ascribe  to  the  "pet  squaw  "  the 
languishing  condition  of  her  own  finances,  as  her  own 
employment  not  infrequently  resulted  in  the  employ 
ment  of  her  husband  also. 

Her  success  in  his  interest  was  certainly  great, 
though  not  very  inspiring  to  her  patrons.  In  short, 
she  practiced  medicine,  and,  to  eke  out  the  revenue 
of  his  farm,  Mr.  Cross  dug  graves. 

But  to  our  story. 

Nellie  brushed,  plaited  and  pinned  up  the  long 
shining  braid,  while  Robert,  forgetful  of  his  paper, 
watched  the  proceeding  thoughtfully,  nor  seemed  to 
hear  his  mother,  though  she  had  thrice  repeated  his 
name.  Nellie  at  last  roused  him  from  his  apparent 
reverie,  as  she  said  : 

"Robert  is  getting  wonderfully  given  to  day 
dreaming,  mother  ;  I  believe  he  has,  as  they  say,  fal 
len  in  love  with  some  fairy  nymph  in  that  saintly  city, 
where  he  tarried  awhile  on  his  way  to  college.  'T  is 
said  the  immortals  love  at  first  sight.  He  has  a 
picture  that  causes  me  some  suspicion,  for  he  won't 
let  me  see  it,  which  you  know  is  neither  flattering 
to  me  nor  to  the  picture." 

Mrs.  Maynard  smiled  at  Nellie's  nonsense,  and 
said  : 

"Is  it  your  purpose,  my  son,  to  show  us  the 
original  of  that  cherished  picture  some  day. " 

"Yes,  mother;  and  to  you  the  picture  now. 
Nellie  shall  wait  as  a  punishment  for  her  inquisitive- 
ness." 

"  I  pray  you  be  merciful,  Mr.  Autocrat,  and  place 
the  period  of  my  punishment  within  the  limits  of 


SHADOWS.  85 

feminine  endurance,"  said  Nellie,  with  hands  uplifted 
in  mimic  entreaty.  Miannetta,  who  had  fallen  asleep 
under  magnetic  hands,  awakened  at  the  voice,  ele 
vated  above  its  usual  gentle  tone,  and  bewildered  at 
the  appealing  attitude  and  pitiful  expression,  said 
quickly, 

"  Why  Nellie,  what 's  the  matter  ?  " 

"Nothing  at  all  the  matter  with  me,  but  Robbie 
has  just  been  and  gone  and  fallen  in  love." 

"  One  would  think  from  your  look  of  anguish,  he 
had  been  and  gone  and  broken  his  neck,"  said  Mian 
netta,  with,  for  her,  unusual  playfulness. 

"It's  just  as  bad,  I  suppose,  for  we  shall  lose 
him,  and  who  knows  but  a  broken  heart  lies  at  the 
bottom.  I  have  read  somewhere,  '  whoever  plunges 
deepest  into  love,  will  soonest  find  the  boulders  and 
surface  hidden  cliifs  upon  which  lives  are  wrecked.' 
I  know  my  brother's  true  heart  so  well,  that  I  know 
if  he  loves  at  all  he  will  love  with  all  his  soul." 

"It  is  sad  to  think  then,"  said  Miannetta,  with 
some  warmth,  "  how  he  might  suffer  should  the 
object  of  his  love  prove  unworthy  ;  but  even  the 
anguish  of  a  broken  heart  seems  to  me  preferable  to 
having  a  heart,  so  light  and  vain,  it  can  neither  love 
nor  break.  Such  hearts  are  many,  and  sometimes 
inspire  a  devotion  they  never  can  experience  or 
reciprocate." 

She  had  spoken  so  intelligently  and  with  such 
evident  feeling,  that  they  sat  astonished  for  some 
moments  after  she  had  hurriedly  risen  and  glided 
from  the  room. 

"Poor  Miannetta,"  said  Nellie,  "knows  what  it 


86  MAPLE   RANGE. 

is  to  find  the  hidden  rocks  where  hearts  are  broken." 
And  with  tears  in  her  soft  blue  eyes  she  followed 
the  Indian  woman. 

Robert  crossing  the  room,  laid  the  picture  of  a 
young  girl  in  his  mother's  hand,  and  putting  his  arm 
affectionately  around  her  neck,  said  in  a  voice  not 
devoid  of  emotion  : 

"Mother,  this  is  Miss  La  Moore.  The  original  of 
this  picture  I  hope  to  bring  to  you  before  this  time 
next  year — a  daughter  that  you  must  love,  for  she 
will  be  my  wife." 

"  Your  wife,  my  son!  Is  this  indeed  true?  I 
did  not  credit  Nellie  for  cleverness  to  discover  such  a 
secret,  before  I  had  even  suspected  it.  I  thought  it 
was  all  her  mischief." 

"  But  mother,  what  do  you  think  of  my  An 
nette  ? " 

"That  her  lovely  face  explains  my  boy's  precipi 
tancy,"  was  the  reply. 

After  examining  the  features  critically,  she  said: 

"  She  is  not  simply  lovely;  she  has  one  of  those 
rare  faces,  upon  which  there  is  no  shadow  of  guile  or 
deception.  Ah,  Robbie,  with  this  woman's  love  you 
will  be  blessed  ;  for  I  believe  if  she  loves  once  she 
will  love  forever.  Whatever  may  arise  to  mar  your 
happiness,  or  to  separate  you,  do  not  doubt  the  faith 
that  is  the  beauty  of  these  eyes.  Though  now  look 
ing  at  her  for  the  first  time,  I  yet  seem  to  have  known 
her  long.  Acquaintance  with  her  is  not  a  thing  of 
growth.  'T  is  a  beautiful  picture,  Robbie,  and  the 
original  must  be  a  sweet  girl  and  a  refined  lady." 


SHADOWS.  87 

"Indeed,  mother,  those  are  tame  expressions;  she 
is  an  angel." 

"Well,  dear,  I  am  but  the  lover's  mother,  dealing 
in  practical  terms  ;  the  lover  himself  must  supply  the 
poetical.  I  am  looking  at  Miss  La  Moore  without 
her  wings." 

"Capital,  mother,"  said  Robert  laughing,  and 
with  just  a  tinge  of  color  mantling  his  handsome 
brow. 

"Now  sit  down  and  tell  me  all  about  this  romantic 
affair,  my  son,  which  promises  to  increase  our  little 
household  band,  and  to  give  Nellie  what  she  has 
always  wished  for — a  sister,"  said  Mrs.  Maynard. 

Robert  drawing  a  stool  to  her  feet,  and  laying  his 
arm  across  her  knee,  told  her  the  history  of  his  love, 
which  I  will  give  you  in  his  own  words. 

"You  remember,  mother,  last  Spring,  when  I 
went  away  to  finish  my  last  half  year  at  the  academy, 

father  desired  me  to  stop  in  the  city  of  St.  P , 

and  deliver  a  message  to  Mr.  La  Moore,  some  busi 
ness  matter  requiring  a  verbal  explanation,  which— 

"I  remember  it  well,  Robbie.  Some  transaction 
in  real  estate,  but  I  had  not  till  this  moment  asso 
ciated  the  names  of  the  young  lady  and  your  father's 
business  acquaintance  of  St.  P ." 

"She  is,  however,  his  daughter.  They  have  a 
fine  residence  on  the  heights,  overlooking  the  city,  to 
which  I  was  invited  by  Mr.  La  Moore,  when  I  called 
at  his  office.  I  had  formerly  met  Eugene,  the  eldest 
son,  a  pleasant  acquaintance,  which  was  renewed  and 
deepened  at  once  into  friendship,  when  I  became  at 
their  earnest  wish  a  few  days'  visitor  at  their  home. 


88  MAPLE   KANGE. 

Mr.  La  Moore,  a  most  affable  man,  desired  me  to 
wait,  as  he  and  Eugene  were  going  to  Europe,  and 
they  would  accompany  me  as  far  as  New  York. 

"  Of  course,  I  waited,  for  I  knew  Annette  would  be 
of  the  party  going  East,  as  she  was  to  be  left  in  Mon 
treal,  Canada,  to  finish  her  studies  there.  You  smile, 
mother  !  That  smile  tells  me  that  I  need  not  extend 
my  story.  Suffice  it  to  say,  I  loved  her  from  the 
moment  of  our  meeting,  and  I  obtained  her  father's 
full  and  cordial  consent  to  address  her.  Eugene  is  to 
remain  in  France  some  time.  Mr.  La  Moore  will 
return  the  coming  Spring.  At  Autumn,  if  you  and 
father  approve,  I  hope  to  bring  Annette  home  to  the 
dear  old  Maples.  I  think — indeed,  I  know — she  is  not 
entirely  happy  in  her  father's  house,  though  much 
beloved  by  him  as  well  as  by  Eugene  and  the  rest  of 
the  children.  She  said  nothing  of  this  to  me  ;  but  I 
readily  divined  it.  Her  own  mother  is  long  since 
dead.  Her  step-mother  appears  to  be  a  proud,  unfeel 
ing  woman,  and  frigid  as  an  iceberg.1' 

"Bring  her  to  us,  Robbie;  we  have  sunshine 
enough,  and  to  spare.  Blessed  with  the  love  we  will 
all  give  her,  she  shall  forget  there  is  any  coldness  or 
want  of  feeling  in  the  world  ;  and  God  grant  you 
both  happy  and  useful  lives. " 

While  she  was  speaking,  Mr.  Maynard  entered, 
and  noticing  the  tremulous  tone  in  which  she  spoke 
these  last  words,  he  inquired  very  tenderly  the  cause. 
With  a  smile,  she  said  : 

"Robbie  has  been  telling  me  a  love  story  of  which 
he  is  the  hero,  and  the  daughter  of  your  acquaintance, 
Mr.  Pierre  La  Moore,  the  '  bright,  particular  star. '  " 


SHADOWS.  89 

"  Ah  !  and  when  is  this  star  to  dawn  upon  us  ? " 

"He  proposes  to  bring  it  to  us  in  cheerless  No. 
vember — I  suppose,  to  quicken  our  appreciation  of  its 
brightness." 

"  Well,  Robert,"  said  his  father,  cordially,  "I  was 
just  about  your  age  when  I  had  a  similar  experience. 
There  arose  in  my  firmament  a  star  which  has  bright 
ened  my  path  ever  since.  I  wish  your  happiness,  my 
son,  may  equal  mine,  for  a  greater  it  were  impossible 
to  conceive  on  earth.  I  am  glad  that,  in  the  spring 
time  of  your  life,  you  have  won  a  good  woman's  love. 
It  will  steady  you  all  through  life. " 

Mr.  Maynard's  feelings  overcame  him  for  a  few 
minutes,  when  he  continued  : 

"In  view  of  such  an  event,  I  have  recently  drawn 
up  some  plans  that  we  will  talk  over  this  afternoon. 
I  need  only  say  now,  your  proposed  marriage  has  my 
approval,  Rob,  and  I  shall  be  ready  to  give  you  the 
proper  outfit,  and  put  you  in  the  way  to  prove  your 
own  accumulative  abilities." 

"Let  me  here  say  a  few  words,"  interposed  Mrs. 
Maynard.  "Robbie,  I  want  to  caution  you  against 
making  gain  paramount  in  your  plans.  Remember 
the  golden  mean  of  Agur's  prayer  :  '  Give  me  neither 
poverty  nor  riches.  Feed  me  with  food  convenient 
for  me.'  Too  often,  alas,  we  fail  to  appreciate  the 
beauty  of  this  humble  petition  ;  yet  we  have  ourselves 
seen  souls  narrowed  by  the  recognition  of  no  logic 
save  that  of  money.  Men,  arrayed  in  the  purple, 
have  dazzled  the  eyes  that  looked  only  on  the  mag 
nificence  of  their  personal  appointments.  Thousands 
have  knelt  in  fawning  servility  at  their  feet  until 
4* 


90  MAPLZ    RANGE. 

something  has  revealed  the  fact  that  their  souls  were 
closed  to  every  generous  impulse  and  noble  thought ; 
that,  in  reality,  they  were  pitiably  poor.  One  of  Sir 
Walter  Scott's  characters  declares  that  '  The  penny 
siller  slew  mair  souls  than  the  naked  sword  slew 
bodies.'" 

' '  I  believe  it  does, "  said  Robert,  ' '  when  money 
is  loved  for  itself  alone,  rather  than  for  its  uses. 
Scott,  however,  recommends  money, 

'  Not  for  to  hide  it  in  a  hedge, 
Nor  for  a  train  attendant, 
But  for  the  glorious  privilege 
Of  being  independent.'  " 

"  May  I  venture  to  come  in,  or  will  I  interrupt 
your  discussions?'1'  asked  Nellie,  peeping  in  at  the  door. 

"  Why,  Nell,"  said  Robert,  rising  and  leading  her 
to  the  seat  he  had  just  occupied,  "I  was  very  near 
forgetting  you." 

"Well,"  said  she,  with  assumed  resignation,  "I 
suppose  I  must  get  used  to  it.  Wise  people  say  it  is 
a  bad  sign  when  a  young  man  gets  absent-minded, 
to  say  nothing  of  forgetting  his  sister  !  " 

"The  wheel  revolves,  daughter!"  said  Mr. 
Maynard,  gayly.  "I  remember  very  well  when  you 
appeared  on  the  scene  and  broke  Robbie's  nose,  and 
now,  as  if  to  avenge  him,  a  Circean  divinity  has 
arisen  and  broken  yours." 

"Well,  I've  no  further  use  for  mine  anyway! 
The  frost  killed  all  my  fragrant  plants  last  night. 
My  chrysanthemum  and  heliotrope  look  like  unsightly 
rags  dangling  about  their  ornamental  supports.  Not 


SHADOWS.  91 

a  tint  of  loveliness — not  a  breath  of  sweetness  an 
swered  my  good-morning  to  my  flowers." 

"What  a  pity,  my  pet,"  said  Mr.  Maynard,  sym 
pathetically.  "  It  froze  very  hard  last  night.  The 
mercury  fell  to  thirty-four  below  zero — the  lowest  it 
has  been  since  we  have  been  in  Minnesota." 

"Well,  but  yesterday  was  not  cold!  Flies  and 
actually  a  mosquito  were  on  the  same  window  with 
my  plants,  at  noon.  As  it  continued  mild,  I  thought 
last  night  there  was  no  necessity  of  removing  the 

o  «.  O 

pots;  and  who  would  have  imagined  the  change? 
But  '  alas,  alas  ! '  as  Cloe  says,  there  is  no  placing 
dependence  in  men  or  Minnesota  weather." 

Mrs.  Maynard  here  signified  a  wish  to  go  over  and 
visit  the  young  mother,  at  Ben  Palmer's,  and  the 
sleigh  was  soon  at  the  door,  and  a  basket  of  delicacies 
stowed  away  under  tba  seat.  Robert  assisted  his 
mother  in,  with  as  much  gallantry  as  if  she  had  been 
eighteen  instead  of  forty-eight ;  but  a  beloved  mother 
never  grows  old  to  us.  In  twenty  minutes  she  had 
been  left  at  Palmer's,  and  Robert  was  returning  home. 
When  there,  he  persuaded  Nellie  to  take  a  ride  and 
call  on  Mrs.  Center.  Controlled  by  cool,  masterly 
hands,  the  horses  flew  rapidly  over  the  snow  "to  the 
music  of  the  bells,  bells,  bells."  Mrs.  Center  was 
all  alone  with  her  little  boy.  Her  husband  had  gone 
in  pursuit  of  work,  which  he  might  have  found  at 
Mr.  Maynard's ;  but  his  pride  prevented  him  from 
accepting  any  so  near  home.  They  were  very  needy 
now.  Fortune  had  not  fallen  to  him  from  the  clouds. 
No  marvelous  discovery  of  mineral  wealth  had  been 
made  on  his  quarter  section  ;  and,  though  he  would 


92  MAPLE   RANGE. 

not  acknowledge  that  he  expected  and  waited  for 
these  things  to  turn  up,  yet  there  was  evidently  a 
cause  for  his  waiting  till  starvation  actually  stared 
his  family  in  the  face.  There  must  have  been  a  bright 
dream  of  some  fabulous  release  from  his  difficulties, 
or  he  could  never  have  borne  the  gradual  restriction 
which  had  reduced  their  meals,  first  to  bread  and 
potatoes,  and  now  even  bread  was  gone.  Nellie 
noticed  how  more  than  usually  despondent  Mrs. 
Center  seemed,  but  could  not  have  guessed  the  whole 
truth  of  her  want,  till  at  last  the  poor  woman  ven 
tured  to  be  frank  with  them. 

' '  I  can  not  give  you  a  cup  of  tea  after  your  ride  in 
the  cold,"  she  said,  "nor  will  I  offer  you  my  only 
food — potatoes. " 

"That  was  not  surely  your  only  breakfast  this 
morning,"  said  Nellie. 

"Yes,"  she  replied  sadly,  "Carlos  and  I  have 
eaten  nothing  else  for  the  last  fortnight,  Mr.  Center 
has  been  gone  a  week,  I  hope  he  will  find  the  work 
he  seeks." 

Robert,  always  clever  to  devise  a  way  out  of  any 
unpleasantness,  so  that  even  his  motive  was  scarcely 
mistrusted,  said  quickly, 

"  We  had  no  thought  of  staying,  Mrs.  Center,  to 
day.  We  came  for  you  to  go  home  with  us  and 
share  our  Christmas  dinner.  Mother  and  father  will 
be  delighted  to  have  you,  while  Nellie  and  I  want  to 
have  some  fun  with  Carlos." 

So  saying,  he  caught  the  little  fellow  and  throw 
ing  him  over  his  shoulder,  trotted  up  and  down  the 
room,  singing,  "won't  you  buy  a  bag  of  beans,  shake, 


SHADOWS. 

shake,  shake.'"  The  child  Avas  soon  shouting  with 
laughter,  and  even  his  mother  smiled  at  the  queer 
spectacle  of  this  young  man,  who  was  the  beau  of  that 
part  of  the  country,  playing  nursery  horse. 

"Come  get  ready,  Mrs.  Center,  while  I  stir  up 
your  boy,"  he  said. 

"I  shall  have  to  boil  a  kettle  of  potatoes  first,  to 
feed  my  chickens,"  getting  up  to  put  the  kettle  on. 

"  No,  I  '11  fix  them,"  Robert  answered,  as  putting 
Carlos  into  Nellie's  lap,  he  went  out  and  took  from 
the  sleigh  a  bag  of  oats,  which  he  emptied  into  the 
hen  house,  his  generosity  being  greeted  by  a  great 
flutter  of  wings. 

Mrs.  Center  was  soon  ready,  and  with  happy 
little  Carlos,  really  enjoyed  the  ride  behind  the  fleet 
horses. 

As  they  drove  up  to  the  door,  Mr.  Maynard  came 
out  bareheaded,  the  wind  gently  raising  his  silvery 
locks.  He  reached  out  both  hands  to  take  Carlos, 
saying  heartily.  "A  very  merry  Christmas  to  you. 
Mrs.  Center,  you  are  indeed  most  welcome.  I  have 
been  deserted  for  two  mortal  hours  by  Mrs.  Maynard 
and  the  children  ;  have  read  my  newspaper  and  eaten 
my  apples,  and  am  heartily  glad  to  see  you.  Come 
in,  come  in." 

He  seated  himself  by  the  glowing  fire  with  the 
child  on  his  knees,  and  bravely  sought  to  undo  the 
mysterious  strings  and  buckles  that  fastened  on  his 
infantile  wraps,  till  completely  baffled,  he  good- 
naturedly  handed  him  over  to  Nellie. 

"There."  he  said,  as  looking  through  the  window 
he  saw  Robert  driving  towards  Ben  Palmer's,  "what 


94  MAPLE    RANGE. 

a  piece  of  thoughtlessness  ;  I  ought  to  have  made 
Robert  come  in  and  warm  himself,  while  I  drove 
over  for  mother." 

However  it  was  not  long  before  the  spanking  bays, 
fresh  as  when  first  they  left  the  stable,  dashed  up 
through  the  long  grove,  and  stood  with  arched  necks 
and  tremulous  ears  before  the  door.  Mrs.  Maynard 
exchanged  warm  greetings  with  her  friend,  and  soon 
the  appetizing  aroma  of  well-cooked  food  penetrated 
from  the  dining  room,  and  in  a  moment,  divested  of 
mantle  and  furs,  she  was  ready,  as  Robert  said,  "to 
put  a  substantial  enclosure  around  Cloe's  roast  turkey 
and  plum  pudding." 

How  kind  they  all  were ;  how  sweet  the  home 
atmosphere.  Mrs.  Center's  heart  swelled  as  she  took 
in  all  the  affection  of  this  home,  contrasting  it  with 
her  own — chilled  and  blighted  by  indifference.  How 
she  wished,  at  one  moment,  that  her  husband  could 
share  with  her  the  pleasures  of  this  day,  yet  the  next, 
thought  with  a  sigh,  how  sure  he  would  have  been 
to  mar  the  harmony  of  the  conversation,  by  crabbed 
opposition,  maintained  to  the  verge  of  rudeness. 

He  was  one  of  those  characters  Nature  sometimes 
seems  to  create  out  of  the  scraps  of  humanity,  and  in 
this  case,  unfortunately,  the  scraps  were  all  poor. 

Mrs.  Center  was  grave,  she  was  never  otherwise 
now,  but  she  was  social  and  at  home;  had  seen 
enough  of  better  days  to  know  what  was  required  of 
her,  as  well  as  to  appreciate  the  compliment  of  a  seat 
at  her  host's  right  hand. 

Though  she  could  not  forget  the  empty  flour 
barrel  at  home,  nor  the  limp  purse  in  her  pocket, 


SHADOWS.  1*0 

yet  she  conversed  happily  and  profitably,  as  became 
one  who  was  a  lady  independently  of  all  externals, 
proving  that  soul  wealth  is,  after  all,  the  only  true 
independence. 

Miannetta  was  not  at  dinner.  She  was  weary  and 
preferred  sleep  in  her  room. 

Carlos  was  given  a  high  chair  beside  Xellie,  who 
helped  him  to  separate  the  fruit  from  the  pudding  and 
mince  pies,  and  broke  wish  bones  with  him,  while 
Robert,  who  sat  opposite  him,  pared  the  skin  off  his 
big  red  apple  into  one  long  spiral  piece,  with  which  he 
made  a  fanciful  decoration  for  the  castor.  Then, 
with  using  his  napkin  ring  as  an  eyeglass  to  discover 
the  cause  of  the  brightness  of  the  little  boy's  eyes, 
tasting  the  little  fellow's  wine  under  the  pretence  of 
keeping  it  from  Nellie,  Carlos  was  kept  highly 
amused. 

So  the  day  passed  pleasantly  away,  a  day  set 
down  in  Mrs.  Center's  record  as  one  of  the  pleasant- 
est  of  her  life.  Poor  woman,  she  had  so  few  pleasant 
days  in  these  later  years,  this  one  stood  out  very 
clear  in  her  calender. 

Two  da-ys  afterward  she  spent  the  day  at  Ben 
Palmer's  with  Mrs.  Maynard,  and  when  they  returned 
to  The  Maples  toward  night,  she  said,  "I  must 
surely  go  home  to-morrow. " 

In  the  morning  Robert  drove  round  to  the  door 
with  a  larger  sleigh  and  she  got  in  with  a  grateful 
heart,  for  she  knew  she  was  not  going  back  to  the  old 
regimen  of  potatoes  and  salt.  Under  the  robes  were 
stored  a  bag  of  flour,  meat,  jars  of  lard,  butter,  and 
groceries,  not  forgetting  meal  for  the  chicks.  Last, 


96  MAPLE   RANGE. 

but  in  size  not  least,  was  a  box  of  mellow  apples, 
with  "  Carlos  "painted  on  the  cover  in  big  red  letters. 
All  of  these  things  Mr.  Maynard  had  stipulated, 
should  be  paid  for  when  his  century  plant  blossomed. 

"With  interest,"  Mrs   Center  had  said. 

"  Yes,  if  you  insist,"  was  the  reply. 

The  plant  had  blossomed  only  five  years  before. 

After  leaving  her  at  her  own  house,  Robert  drove 
over  with  the  intention  of  offering  Mrs.  Wilson  a 
ride  back  with  him,  on  the  way  to  visit  her  daughter. 
She  had  been  at  Ruth's  only  every  other  day  for  the 
last  week,  and  this  was  her  day  off.  He  only 
intended  it  as  a  bit  of  fun,  as  he  enjoyed  greatly 
these  little  friendly  tilts  with  Mrs.  Wilson,  Avho  not 
unfrequently,  could  pay  him  back  in  his  own  coin. 
But  when  she  came  to  the  door  the  expression  of  her 
face,  not  only  forbade  the  nonsense,  but  drove  it  from 
his  thoughts.  With  alarmed  earnestness,  he  cried  : 

"  What  can  be  the  matter  with  you  ?  Speak,  Mrs. 
Wilson." 

She  could  not  tell  him  intelligently,  but  hurriedly 
directed  him  to  the  residence  of  Mr.  Cross,  where  all 
the  men  of  the  settlement  were  assembling,  and 
where,  in  a  few  moments,  he  heard  an  explanation  of 
fears,  not  confined  to  Mrs.  Wilson  alone.  Fears 
based  upon  these  facts  :  Two  Indians,  Mock-ane-sah's 
braves,  had  lately  committed  a  murder  in  the  pineries, 
killing  in  cold  blood  a  lumberman  of  high  connections 
and  good  standing.  The  Sheriff  of  Blakeley,  a  town 
on  the  Waubece  River,  several  miles  below,  was  con 
veying  them  in  irons  to  that  place  for  confinement  in 
jail.  He  had  stopped  the  previous  evening  at  Pierre 


SHADOWS.  97 

Scott's  tavern  in  Clipnockum  Hollow,  had  ordered 
supper  for  himself  and  prisoners,  when  suddenly  a 
tall  heavily-built  man  entered  and  accosted  him  : 

"My  name,  sir,  is  Jerome  Hyche,  the  life-long 
friend  of  the  man  these  miscreants  murdered.  If  they 
are  taken  below  for  trial,  some  legal  technicality  will 
furnish  a  loop-hole  for  their  acquittal.  I  am  deter 
mined  to  secure  their  punishment— you  understand?" 

The  Sheriff,  who  was  determination  personified, 
calmly  replied  : 

"If  you  intend  to  use  strength,  let  me  tell  you 
these  men  shall  not  be  taken  from  me  without  a 
struggle,1'  significantly  tapping  his  revolvers. 

Opening  the  door  and  revealing  a  crowd  of  sturdy 
looking  men,  about  thirty  strong,  Hyche  said  quietly, 
"  It  is  folly  to  offer  resistance." 

"  I  am  sorry  your  words  belie  your  looks,"  said 
the  Sheriff.  "I  should  have  taken  you  to  be  a  law 
abiding  man." 

"  So  I  am,"  was  the  reply,  "  but  human  laws  are 
not  for  the  benefit  of  these  devils  !" 

"They  are  my  prisoners,"  said  the  Sheriff.  "I 
shall  defend  them  to  the  last." 

His  coolness  re-assured  the  prisoners,  who  sat 
down  to  supper  and  ate  heartily,  even  lighting  their 
pipes  afterward. 

The  sleigh  was  brought  to  the  door,  and  as  the 
Sheriff  appeared  with  his  prisoners,  the  crowd  closed 
round  them.  As  the  Indians  were  getting  into  the 
sleigh,  two  men  stepped  forward  as  if  to  seize  them. 
The  officer  quickly  drew  a  revolver,  saying: 

' '  Touch  them  at  your  peril, " 
G          5 


98  MAPLE    RANGE. 

Convinced  that  he  so  acted  only  to  screen  himself 
from  all  censure,  they  each  caught  hold  of  an  Indian, 
and  in  less  time  than  it  takes  to  tell  it,  both  men  lay 
weltering  in  their  life  blood.  Their  companions 
immediately  seized  the  Sheriff,  and  secured  him.  The 
redskins  were  seized  in  a  twinkling,  hustled  into 
another  sleigh,  driven  rapidly  up  the  road  under  a 
large  oak  tree.  Two  ropes  were  thrown  over  a 
limb,  and  in  a  few  seconds,  as  the  sleigh  drove 
away,  two  lifeless  forms  were  left  dangling  between 
the  white  cold  earth  and  an  unpitying  sky.  At  mid 
night  a  tall  figure  stood  near  them,  and  regarded  them 
long  and  silently.  It  was  old  Mock-ane-sah,  looking 
upon  the  faces  of  the  dead,  one  of  which  was  indeed 
his  own — his  only  son.  Long  he  gazed  upon  that  dis 
torted  face,  then  climbing  the  bluff,  by  which  stood 
the  fatal  tree,  he  gained  its  summit,  commanding  a 
near  view  of  the  homes  in  the  valley,  and  the  settle 
ment  of  Maple  Range.  He  was  not  unlike  the  forest 
trees  upon  the  bluff,  as  he  stood  there  for  a  while, 
immovable,  his  towering  form  clearly  defined  in  the 
moonlight  that  shone  brightly  on  the  snow.  Nor 
was  he  conscious  that  he  was  observed.  The  wakeful 
spirit  of  Gus  Harkness  had  impelled  him  forth  to 
watch  the  Hollow,  and  he  followed  at  a  safe  distance, 
noting  Mock-ane-sah's  every  action.  Saw  him  look 
upward  to  the  moon  and  counting  on  his  fingers,  as 
once  before  he  had  calculated  the  force  of  the  settle 
ment.  A  low  murmur  issued  from  his  lips.  Was  it 
a  prophecy  of  the  time  when  vengeance  would  be 
fulfilled  ?  None  would  ever  know.  But  the  thought 
of  his  sweeping  down  with  his  merciless  band  upon 


SHADOWS.  99 

them,  caused  the  spectator's  heart  to  quail.  Of 
course  so  large  a  force  as  had  attended  Jerome  Hyche 
had  not  been  recruited  without  some  drafts  upon 
Maple  Range,  and  though  that  had  been  almost  acci 
dental,  it  was  felt  to  involve  the  whole  settlement  in 
peril.  It  mattered  little  how  they  came  to  be  there, 
or  whether  they  were  there.  White  men  had  killed 
the  Indians  and  white  men  would  have  to  answer  for 
it,  and  not  alone  white  men,  but  women  and  children 
too.  An  Indian's  vengeance  is  not  discriminating. 
The  new-born  child  and  its  mother  are  slain  with  as 
much  satisfaction  as  the  man  for  whose  deed,  fancied 
or  otherwise,  they  suffer.  The  Indians  had  been 
hung  at  the  Hollow  and  the  settlers  in  the  Hollow 
should  make  atonement,  and  Maple  Range  must 
suffer  with  them. 

In  this  conviction,  the  male  portion  of  the  settle 
ment  had  met  to  devise  some  plan  of  defense.  From 
Smith's  they  had  moved  to  Wilson's  ;  from  Wilson's, 
with  added  numbers,  to  Porter's,  and  thence,  still 
gaining  in  number,  to  "'old  man  Cross'."  At  each 
place  there  had  been  angry  declamation,  some  sensi 
ble  discussion,  and  much  purposeless  talk.  They  all 
dwelt  more  upon  the  demerits  of  their  treacherous 
foe,  than  upon  sensible  measures  for  deliverance. 
Though  discussion  was  vehement  and  backwoods  ora 
tory  original,  yet  they  had  so  far  been  unable  to  settle 
anything  definitely.  It  was  while  in  this  state  of 
disorder  that  Robert  arrived.  He  soon  learned  the 
facts  we  have  just  narrated,  and  realized  their  gravity 
to  the  fullest  extent. 

"They  need  some  one  to  talk  ''em  down  !    Go  in 


MAPLE    RANGE. 

old  your  coat,  Robert,"  said  Gus 

Robert  entered  the  room  unperceived.  The  men 
\were  all  standing — all  talking  at  once  ;  but  he  could 
"'gather  enough  to  discover  that  they  were  discussing 
the  expediency  of  sending  his  father  as  an  envoy 
extraordinary  to  the  Indians.  There  was,  however, 
a  strong  opposition  to  this,  for,  as  yet  undiscovered, 
both  those  friendly  and  averse  to  the  proposition 
expressed  their  views  freely,  unembarrassed  by  the 
knowledge  of  his  presence.  He  was  astonished  to 
find  how  the  leaven  of  envy  and  jealousy  had  worked 
in  a  few  short  weeks — yes,  you  might  say  hours; 
but  he  was  rejoiced  to  find  that  his  father's  real  friends 
were  the  better — the  more  intelligent  of  the  settlers. 
The  first  voice  distinguishable  was  that  of  Charles 
Center,  who,  having  returned  that  morning,  and  find 
ing  his  wife  away,  had  followed  the  tide  of  excite 
ment  and  was  evidently  working  for  some  personal 
end.  He  opposed  strenuously  Mr.  Maynard's  inter 
vention. 

"Uncle  Smith,"  he  said,  " proposes  to  send  May- 
nard  to  the  Indians.  Now,  look  here  !  if  his  mediation 
had  been  the  correct  thing  heretofore,  the  necessity  of 
mediation  would  not  now  exist.  What  assurance  have 
you  that  he  has  kept  faith  with  you,  or  that  he  will 
keep  faith  with  you,  if  you  send  him  again  ?  I  believe 
he  has  been  treacherous  to  you  ;  that  the  very  intelli 
gence  you  esteem  in  him,  he  has  used  against  you, 
with  the  Indians." 

Cries  of  "No,  no !  "  and  " Maynard  is  true  blue  !  " 
met  this  assertion. 


SHADOWS.  101 

"When  old  Mock-ane-sah  comes  down  from  the 
woods,  whom  does  he  visit  ?  "  asked  Center. 

This  was  a  damaging  question,  and  was  answered 
by  several  with  cries  of  "That's  so,  boys!"  "He 
stops  at  Maynard's  every  time  !  " 

This  suggestion,  though  of  little  weight  with  the 
more  sensible,  who  knew  old  Mock-ane-sah  was  not  to 
blame  for  the  deeds  of  his  warriors,  took  readily  with  a 
certain  class.  Comparative  silence  prevailed  for  a 
moment,  and  a  peculiar  sound  issued  from  one  corner 
of  the  room.  With  his  usual  sniffling,  Cross  rose  to 
his  feet,  laboring  from  head  to  foot  with  a  big  thought 
striving  for  utterance.  His  hands  worked  nervously 
and  his  eyes  rolled  spasmodically.  With  a  wrinkling 
of  his  forehead  that  brought  down  the  stiff  black  shock 
of  hair  till  it  almost  met  the  shaggy  eyebrows,  Mr. 
Cross  delivered  himself  as  follows  : 

"Center  is  dead  set  ag'in'  Maynard  ;  my  woman 
is  too.  She  hain't  got  the  Parnin',  may  be,  and 
could  n't  talk  as  well  as  he  can,  but  she  aims  at  the 
same  idee.  Center  speaks  her  sentiments,  and  them  's 
my  sentiments  coractly." 

On  the  delivery  of  this  speech,  a  merry  little 
fellow  was  seen  fussily  making  his  way  through  the 
crowd  to  the  door. 

' '  What 's  up  2     Whar  you  goin',  Birdsell  ?  " 

"  Home,  to  get  my  woman's  '  idee.'  I  want  to  get 
it  in  close  to  that  of  Mrs.  Cross,  for,  next  to  me,  she 
has  always  said  she  liked  Maynard  ;  but  I'm  goin'  to 
find  out  if  she  has  changed  her  mind,  like  some  of  the 
rest  here  !  Back,  in  a  minute. " 

This  sally  elicited  some  laughter,  which,  however, 


102  MAPLE   RANGE. 

gave  way  to  close  attention  when  long  Dave  Persons 
took  the  floor. 

"Neighbors  and  friends,"  he  said,  "I  think  you 
are  all  more  scared  than  hurt,  to-day  !  If  you  will 
insist  upon  mediation,  Maynard  's  your  winning  card ; 
but,  for  heaven's  sake,  emphasize  the  die,  in  your 
instruction  ;  all  other  logic  is  just  so  much  powder 
wasted  and  time  thrown  away.  Why  do  n't  you  go 
and  cut  down  them  red  cusses  and  send  their  cold  car 
casses  home  to  their  smoky  wigwams?  Tell  their 
howlin'  kindred  to  come  down  here  and  you  will 
settle  their  hash  by  servin'  them  the  same  way  !  The 
tree  is  strong,  and  there  's  enough  of  ye  to  hang  every 
infernal  Sioux  that  ever  clutched  a  scalp  lock  ;  and  as 
for  rope,  there  is  no  want — 

"  Do  n't  waste  the  rope,  Dave  !  Remember  '  Char 
ity  begins  at  home,'  "  cried  Jehial  Smith. 

"  Yes  !  "  said  Gus  Harkness,  "  and  supposing  you 
undertake  the  execution  of  the  nice  little  plan  you 
propose,  will  you  take  those  two  bodies  home,  eh  ? " 

Uncle  Carce  Smith  here  cleared  his  throat,  and 
they  knew  something  was  to  be  said  worth  listen 
ing  to. 

"Boys  !  boys  !  the  Bible  says  'There  is  a  time  to 
be  grave,  and  a  time  to  be  mirthful.'  Whoever  doubts 
the  time  has  now  come  to  be  serious,  must  be  an  infidel 
indeed.  To  waste  it  with  idle  nonsense  or  impractic 
able  suggestions,  is  to  deprive  us  perhaps  of  a  chance 
to  secure  our  imperiled  homes  and  even  our  lives. 
While  you  are  here  joking,  Mock-ane-sah  may  be 
massing  his  dusky  warriors  in  some  cover  dangerously 
near,  awaiting  only  the  advent  of  night  to  swoop 


SHADOWS.  103 

down  upon  ns  and  light  up  the  forest  with  our  burn 
ing  homes,  and  mercilessly  slay  or  torture  all  we  hold 
most  dear  !  Let  us  cease  discussion,  and  agree  upon 
immediate  measures  to  avert  this  horror.  Send  some 
one,  known  to  us  and  to  the  Indians  as  a  true  friend 
of  both,  and  having  influence  enough  with  them,  to 
urge  conciliation ;  otherwise,  I  tell  you,  we  are 
doomed  as  surely  as  the  sun  shines  on  the  corpses  of 
these  human  beings,  hurried  out  of  this  world  without 
regard  to  mercy,  law,  or  justice  !  Once  more  I  urge 
upon  your  serious  consideration  the  need  of  the  hour, 
and  I  propose,  as  a  man  of  undoubted  integrity  and 
influence,  Mr.  Maynard." 

Before  anyone  could  second  the  proposition,  Mr. 
Center  threw  in  a  counter  motion  to  send  Pierre  Scott, 
the  half-breed. 

"  His  personal  relations  bind  him  to  the  Indians 
while  his  pecuniary  interests  bind  him  to  us.  Let 
another  be  sent  to  the  commandant  at  the  nearest 
military  post.  We  pay  heavy  taxes  for  the  support 
of  idle  garrisons  within  short  marching  distance,  and 
yet  we  stand  here  quaking  with  fear.  We  have  the 
right  to  demand  protection  from  the  troops  we  up 
hold.  Should  pacific  measures  fail,  we  shall  have  the 
satisfaction  of  getting  back  the  value  of  our  taxes 
in  the  defense  of  our  homes." 

As  he  stopped  speaking,  Robert  stepped  forward 
and  said : 

"Fellow-citizens:  Let  me  say  at  once  that  my 
father's  physical  health  will  not  admit  of  his  taking 
the  long  journey  some  of  you  propose  for  him  in 
connection  with  this  unhappy  affair.  The  situation 


104  MAPLE   RANGE. 

to-day  seems   to   be  one   full    of  danger.     The    im- 

«/  o 

pending  peril  can  only- be  averted  by  immediate  and 
concerted  action.  The  exigencies  of  the  hour  forbid 
our  lingering  over  the  dark  features  of  yesterday's 
horror.  Its  sickening  details  have  ere  this  been  re 
cited  with  passionate  vehemence  by  hundreds  of  tepee 
fires,  while,  doubtless,  the  pipe  of  war  was  circulat 
ing.  Pardon  me  a  hurried  repetition  of  some  of  the 
grave  complaints  by  which  to-day  the  red  man  will 
justify  the  use  of  his  final  argument — the  tomahawk. 
It  will  serve  to  remind  you  of  what  must  now  be  going 
on  among  the  Indians,  while  we  are  engaged  in  fruit 
less  discussion.  This  latest  deed  of  violence  will 
serve  to  awaken  older  grievances.  White  men  steal 
ing  the  affections  of  Indian  women,  and  under  forms 
of  marriage  by  them  considered  neither  sacred  or 
binding,  broken  at  will,  after  possessing  themselves 
cf  the  estate  which  is  often  an  Indian  woman's  goodly 
dower.  Many  a  repudiated  squaw,  who  has  thus  been 
stripped  of  her  heritage,  deprived  of  her  children, 
and  sent  home  to  her  kindred,  will  add  the  story  of 
her  bitter  wrongs  to  the  great  burthen  of  the  white 
man's  sins.  These  heart-broken  mothers,  wailing  for 
the  children  God  gave  them  and  of  which  man  has 
robbed  them,  have  become  desperate  in  their  desire 
for  vengeance,  ready,  to  aid  and  forward  any  work  of 
cruelty  against  those  to  whom  they  attribute  their 
wrongs.  Again  think  of  the  fraud  and  extortion 
practiced  by  the  legalized  Indian  traders.  We  all 
know  this.  Has  it  not  been  a  standing  joke  for 
years  ?  The  paltry  trinkets  bartered  for  Indian  gold 
have  marked  among  dealers'  supplies  the  worthless- 


SHADOWS.  105 

ness  of  Indian  goods.  Have  \ve  not  ourselves  watched 
the  wily  miller,  and  perhaps  smiled — a  smile  by  no 
means  creditable  to  our  principles  of  honor  and  in 
tegrity — when,  after  other  custom  work  was  done,  he 
has  swept  the  refuse  from  the  floor  and  placed  it  in 
the  hopper  to  manufacture  the  villainous  Indian  flour, 
for  which  the  consumer  would  have  to  pay  the  price 
charged  for  the  best.  These  are  hurried  glances  at 
the  evils  which,  among  many  other  wrongs,  fancied 
or  real,  grown  by  constant  nursing  and  recital  to  co 
lossal  proportions,  have  given  the  red  man  grave  cause 
to  hate  us.  These,  exaggerated  and  dwelt  upon, 
without  considering  the  oifenses  on  their  own  side, 
make  them  feel  their  cause  a  just  one,  which  is  said  to 
be  equal  to  being  'thrice  armed.'  In  meeting  this 
emergency,  success  depends  on  our  acting  wisely, 
promptly  and  unanimously.  I  cordially  second  Mr. 
Center's  motions  to  send  Pierre  Scott  to  the  reserva 
tion,  and  also  the  call  for  military  protection  " 

Robert's  name  was  immediately  proposed,  and 
he  was  duly  chosen  to  represent  their  claim  at  the 
fort. 

There  was  no  opposition  to  Pierre  Scott  and  he 
received  his  commission  with  dignity  and  readiness, 
feeling  sure  he  could  serve  his  neighbors  satisfac 
torily.  I  must,  however,  qualify  that  statement  of 
no  opposition,  for  Paddy  O'Shannon,  before  the  de 
cision  had  been  taken,  sprang  into  the  middle  of  the 
room,  depositing  an  enormous  quid  of  tobacco  on 
the  floor,  and  with  the  richest  brogue  imaginable, 
cried  : 

"An'  is  it  Pierre  Scott,  the  craythur,  ye 'd  be 


106  MAPLE   EANGE. 

sindin '  till  the  woods.  A  dirthy  half-breed  himself, 
an '  the  two-facedest  cuss  that  iver  run  on  two  legs. 
Sure  now,  if  the  crowd  goes  in  for  the  loikes  o  '  that, 
ye  '11  see  me  lavin  '  Clipnockmn  with  niver  a  look  be 
hind,  for  the  Lord  himself  could  n't  save  us  ! 
Sind  a  bastely  Injun  to  thrate  with  bastelier  ones  ! 
Why,  it  is  like  sindin'  an  Oirishman  with  a  bottle  of 
whisky  to  quill  a  whisky  row.  Pierre  Scott,  indade  ! 
Why,  gintlemin,  ye  better  now  jest  turn  the  same 
boot  and  kick  yerselves  clean  to  Bedlam." 

"Hold  on,  Paddy,"  said  Gus  Harkncss;  "what's 
your  plan  ?  What  would  you  do  supposing  we  send 
you  to  the  Injuns  ?  " 

"  I  'd  take  the  pay  loike  a  man." 

"  But  what  would  you  do  with  the  Injuns  ?  " 

"  Make  'em  show  thir  paipers,  bedad." 

' '  But  they  are  natives  ;  have  no  •  papers  to  show, 
Paddy." 

"No  paipers  !  O  begorra,  thin,  I'll  niver  thrate 
or  bodder  wid  'em  at  all,  at  all." 

And  he  thrust  his  hands  into  the  waistband  of  his 
blue  overalls,  stumping  ferociously  out  of  the  room, 
while  Gus  called  after  him  : 

"  Where  ye  goin',  Paddy?" 

"Out  o'  this  counthry,  be  jabers,  where  the 
biggest  half  o  '  the  people  have  no  paipers." 

This  little  episode  had  not  interrupted  the  real 
business  of  the  convention.  Instructions  had  been 
prepared  and  were  now  given  to  the  delegates,  who 
departed  at  once  upon  their  respective  missions,  each 
earnestly  desirous  of  averting  the  gloomy  cloud. 


SHADOWS.  107 

Robert  was  unaccompanied,  but  Miannetta  went  with 
Scott. 

Peace  was  for  the  moment  secured,  and,  though 
built  upon  a  volcano,  was  considered  satisfactory  by 
the  too  confiding  settlers,  who  buried  their  fears  away, 
cleared  and  put  in  larger  fields  of  crops,  tore  down 
their  old  buildings  and  raised  better  ones,  inviting 
with  the  arm  of  labor  the  prosperity  and  capital 
which  is  its  reward.  In  the  light  of  later  events  we 
know  that  beneath  the  outward  peace  smouldered  a 
fire,  unsuspected  by  those  who,  above  it,  went  on 
their  way,  busy  with  the  common  things  of  life. 

The  Indians  were  now  seldom  seen,  but  appeared 
friendly  and  some  acts  of  real  kindness  were  ex 
changed  with  the  whites.  It  was  believed  they  were 
not  brooding  over  the  outrage  in  the  Hollow,  but  had 
come  to  set  off  that  awful  punishment  on  the  part  of 
the  whites,  against  the  awful  crime  on  the  part  of  the 
Indians.  Jerome  Hyche  was  not  a  resident  of  that 
section,  and  though  he  was  never  seen,  had  never 
been  dealt  with  for  his  part  in  the  lynching,  yet  to  his 
death  he  must  carry  the  gangrene  of  remorse  in  his 
soul.  It  was  no  palliation  of  his  crime  that  the  vic 
tims  were  guilty,  and  of  a  cruel  and  dangerous  race. 
Obedience  to  the  commandment,  "Thou  shalt  not 
kill,  "is  especially  required  of  the  race  enlightened  by 
the  word  of  God. 


108  MAPLE   KANGE. 

CHAPTER    IV. 

THE   LOVER'S   STRATEGY. 

"  He  looked  at  her  <is  a  lover  can  ; 
She  looked  at  him,  as  one  who  wakes, 
The  past  was  a  sleep,  and  her  life  began." 

— MRS.  BROWNING. 

t6  /"^jOME  in,  girls  !  You  can  not  stay  out  in  the 
v_y  moonlight  and  dew,  without  some  danger  to 
your  health,  or  your  complexion,  or  your  dresses,  and 
pray  what  can  be  of  more  importance  ? "  It  was 
Robert  Maynard  who  spoke,  addressing  his  sister  and 
her  friend  'Lisbeth  Cross.  They  were  sitting  or 
reclining  on  the  branch  of  a  tree  that  jutted  out  from 
its  Irunk  ;  Nellie  at  her  friend's  feet,  leaning  languid 
ly  over,  writh  elbows  on  her  knees  looking  intently 
into  her  face. 

The  day  had  begun  with  a  joyous  gallop  at  sunrise, 
lazy  and  cool  mid-day  floating  in  the  shadowy  coves 
of  Lake  Loui,  and  was  now  ending  in  quiet  happy 
moonlight  talk  out  in  the  old  trees. 

Nellie  is  still  slight  but  a  lovely  creature,  fully 
matured  as  to  years,  but  she  would  always  seem 
much  younger  owing  to  her  extreme  delicacy  of 
frame  and  feature.  Her  companion  was  a  graceful 
beautiful  woman  of  perhaps  twenty-three  or  four, 
with  pale  olive  complexion,  dark  eyes,  and  a  mouth 
in  which  lurked  a  smile  of  mischief,  though  some- 


THE    LOVEK'S    STRATEGY.  109 

times  almost  haughty  in  its  expression.  It  was  the 
school  teacher  of  Maple  Range,  making  one  of  her 
occasional  visits  at  the  Maples.  Little  has  been 
said,  if  indeed  anything,  of  Elizabeth  Cross,  or,  as 
her  mother  and  consequently  everybody  else  called 
her,  'Lizbeth.  Till  within  the  last  year  she  was  only 
occasionally  at  the  home  of  her  father,  as  she  earned 
her  own  living  teaching  district  schools,  and  many 
thought,  found  living  more  agreeable,  as  well  as 
more  generous,  anywhere  than  at  home.  Her  schools 
were  generally  too  far  away  to  admit  of  her  coming 
home  excepting  at  the  Spring  and  Fall  vacations,  yet 
those  periods  were  eagerly  looked  forward  to  by  all 
the  young  people,  who,  with  few  exceptions,  liked 
her.  Her  vivacious  manner  added  greatly  to  the 
zest  and  enjoyment  of  life  in  this  rather  out  of  the 
way  spot.  The  girls  were  mostly  buxom,  good 
natured  and  hearty,  and  feeling  it  in  no  way  detri 
mental  to  them  when  brought  in  social  contact  with  a 
young  woman  decidedly  handsome  and  cultivated, 
provided  she  were  sociable  and  full  of  fun.  So  'Liz 
beth  had  the  friendship  of  the  girls  to  begin  with, 
and,  1  need  hardly  say,  that  of  all  the  boys,  little  and 
big.  She  was  never  quite  so  gracious  and  good  to 
the  "  men  folks."  as  she  proved  by  her  behaviour 
towards  the  girls  that  it  was  in  her  power  to  be,  and 
was  forever  tantalizing  them  Avith  a  regard  half  given, 
half  withheld.  Her  good  manners,  piquancy  and 
wit  inspired  general  admiration,  yet  that  wit  was 
often  directed  to  the  great  discomfort  of  her  admirers. 
No  matter,  she  was.  all  the  same — the  desire,  as  well 
as  the  dread  of  the  sensitive  masculine  hearts  at 


110  MAPLE   RANGE. 

Maple  Range.  They  loved  to  be  near  her,  like 
moths  about  the  candle  ;  regarded  even  the  wounds, 
which  were  the  cost  of  her  society,  as  preferable  to 
her  inattention,  or  their  banishment  from  any  gather 
ing  of  young  people  graced  by  her  presence.  When 
she  was  in  the  settlement  there  was  always  something 
going  on,  and  they  were  ready  with  all  homage  to 
wait  upon  and  fulfil  her  behests,  and  when  she  was 
away,  uncle  Smith  said,  "they  all  seemed  to  hanker 
after  her."  She  taught  the  Winter  school  in  Clip- 
nockum  Hollow  the  Winter  before,  and  was  now 
teaching  at  Maple  Range.  It  was  wonderful  how 
she  came  to  be  on  such  intimate  terms  at  the  Maples, 
since  her  mother,  and  therefore  her  father,  were  so 
"  dead  set  agin  the  Maynards."  But  there  is  nothing 
so  stubborn  as  facts.  She  read,  sang,  and  entered 
with  her  whole  soul  into  whatever  of  gaiety  or  gravity 
Robert  and  Nellie  were  engaged  in.  Many  a  picnic 
party  given  under  the  trees,  owed  its  life  and  blythe- 
ness  to  the  gay  spirits,  let  loose  in  unconventional 
fun  and  nonsense,  of  Nellie  and  'Lizbeth.  The 
morning  had  now  come  for  her  return  to  duty,  and 
Robert  was  waiting  at  the  gate  with  the  horses  to 
take  her,  as  she  and  Nellie  walked  slowly  down 
towards  him. 

"•Are  n't  you  glad  your  school  is  most  out,"  said 
Nellie. 

"Why  should  I  be,  the  Summer  will  be  gone 
then,  and  Autumn  days  fly  fast.  I  have  only  to 
commence  another  term  for  the  Winter  then  at  Clip- 
nockum." 

"  Are  you  really  going  to  brave  another  term  at 


THE  LOVER'S  STRATEGY.  Ill 

Clipnockum,  after  all   you  suffered  there  with  fear 
last  Winter  at  the  time  of  the  lynching." 

"  O  yes,  there  is  no  danger  now,  everything  is 
peaceful,  and  really,  though  the  school  is  smaller, 
they  pay  better  wages  at  the  Hollow  than  anywhere 
else." 

"  Don't  hurry  girls,  I  had  just  as  soon  sit  here  in 
the  buggy  all  day  as  not.     Take  your  time,  tell  all 
the  long  stories,  and  pick  all  the  late  roses  you  want 
to.     You  can  rely  upon  my  patience,"  said  Robert. 
"  How  long  ?  "  asked  'Lizbeth. 
"  Till  I  could  hit  upon  some  expedient  to  cut  short 
those  last  words  girls  are  sure  to  exchange  when  the 
horses  are  impatient." 

"  Hereafter  we  will  intrench  ourselves  behind  a 
vocabulary  of  monosyllables,  won't  we  Nell." 

"  Why  yes,  if  Rob  will  be  equally  brief." 

They  were  off  so  soon  when  'Lizbeth  was  seated, 
that  her  good  by  floated  back  on  a  gust  of  wind. 

By  the  time  her  Winter  school  was  half  through, 
it  began  to  be  evident  that  some  of  her  admirers 
considered  it  best  to  let  sour  grapes  alone,  and 
settle  down  to  enjoy  her  simple  friendship.  There 
was,  however,  one  noticeable  exception  to  this 
philosophical  course,  and  a  noble  one  too,  for  Gus 
Harkness  was  a  Avhole  -  hearted  fellow,  as  every  - 
body  admitted.  Gus  loved  'Lizbeth,  and  had  told 
her  so  a  hundred  times  or  more  ;  had  told  her  in  his 
own  impetuous  way,  that  he  not  only  loved  her,  but 
he  worshiped  the  very  ground  she  walked  on,  every 
inch  of  the  earth  beneath  her,  and  the  air  above,  clear 
through  from  purgatory  to  paradise ;  and  she,  she  took 


112  MAPLE   KANGE. 

the  longer  walks,  as  she  merrily  told  him,  to  give  him 
more  territory  to  worship.  No  doubt  she  loved  Gus, 
but  she  would  never  give  him  the  comfort  of  saying 
so  ;  that  was  not  her  way.  All  that  he  could  gather 
from  her  actions  he  was  welcome  to  ;  but  she  had 
never,-  unless  her  silence  implied  it,  said  uyes"  when 
he  had  asked  her  to  marry  him.  On  the  strength  of 
this  tacit  consent,  he  had  built  a  snug  little  house  in 
the  valley,  not  far  from  the  school-house,  the  first 
Winter  she  taught  there  ;  the  Summer  following,  had 
set  out  shrubbery  generously  and  tastefully  improved 
the  grounds  about  his  house ;  had  realized  a  large 
crop  from  his  farm,  for  Gus  was  a  good  farmer. 
When  he  pressed  his  suit  and  asked  her  to  name  an 
"early  day"  in  the  Fall,  she,  for  all  answer,  placed 
her  school  contract  in  his  hands ;  then  he  was  mad 
and  broke  a  commandment ;  said  amongst  other 
things,  not  nice  to  repeat,  that  he  would  see  her 
further,  and  he  did.  There  was  never  more  persist 
ence  and  devotion  than  he  manifested,  calling  at  her 
father's  door  for  her  every  morning  with  his  big, 
strong  team  of  iron-grays,  and  bringing  her  home  after 
school  at  night ;  often  exhausting  all  his  ingenuity  to 
wring  a  promise  from  her  before  she  could  get  a 
chance  to  take  another  school,  and  getting  almost 
frantic  in  his  attempts  to  keep  his  temper  over  her 
cruel  reserve.  One  morning  she  was  riding  to  school 
beside  him,  on  an  enormous  saw-log  ho  was  hauling 
to  the  Waubece  mill.  It  was  very  cold,  but  she  was 
closely  wrapped ;  besides,  he  had  carefully  drawn 
about  her  the  soft  large  buffalo  robe  he  had  taken 
from  its  original  owner,  slain  by  himself  the  previous 


THE    LOVER'S   STRATEGY.  113 

Fall,  and  they  rode  rapidly,  talking  gayly  in  spite  of 
the  cold.  They  were  near  the  bottom  of  the  long 
hill  that  flanked  one  side  of  the  valley — a  lovely  sol 
itary  place — and  Gus,  in  his  attempts  to  make  her 
more  comfortable,  had  been  rewarded  with  a' peremp 
tory  "Hands  off,  sir,"  which  rather  tended  to  strength 
en  his  determination,  than  otherwise.  May  be  every 
body  would  not,  but  Gus  did  swear  to  himself  he 
would  know  one  of  two  things  now. 

"  I'm  going  to  be  married  next  month,"  said  he, 
with  a  laugh. 

"I  congratulate  you,"  was  the  reply,  without  a 
smile. 

"  Congratulate  yourself  too,  then,  and  kiss  me  for 
my  unselfish  consideration  of  your  happiness,  in  set 
ting  the  time  so  early.  Kiss  me,  I  say." 

"I  won't  do  it." 

There  followed  a  desperate  struggle,  without  any 
satisfactory  result  to  Gus,  however,  whose  gallantry 
caused  him  to  stop  first,  saying  : 

"Well,  the  fourth  of  March  is  to  be  our  wedding 
day  then,  or  never,  by  ho  key  !  " 

"Why,  that's  inauguration  day/'  said 'Lizbeth, 
looking  rosy  and  sweet. 

"Of  course,  it  is.  I  am  to  take  the  chair  and 
govern  ye  till  you  dare  n't  say  your  soul 's  your  own." 

"Well,  you  can 't  do  it,  sir  !  My  tongue  belongs 
to  me  forever." 

"May  be  you  think  I  can  't,  but  you'll  see  ;  and 
I  'm  goin'  to  kiss  you  and  break  your  spirit  to  begin 
with,  now  ! ' 

He  held  the  lines  in  one  hand  and  'Lizbeth  tightly 
H          5* 


114  MAPLE   RANGE. 

in  his  left  arm,  when  the  struggle  recommenced.  She 
reminded  him  that  he  had  always  claimed  he  never 
could  do  two  things  at  once,  adding  : 

"You  had  better  attend  to  your  driving."' 
"The  horses  know  the  way,1'  he  replied,  and 
redoubled  his  efforts  to  pave  the  way  to  nuptial  dis 
cipline.  In  the  struggle  the  horses  were  reined  out 
of  the  track  onto  a  large  but  low  stump,  at  the  way 
side.  Left  to  themselves,  they  made  the  attempt  to 
elude  it  by  going  each  side  ;  but  that  would  bring  the 
off  horse  into  a  deep  drift  of  snow,  which,  when 
abreast  of  the  stump,  he  concluded  to  avoid  by  jump 
ing  over  it.  This  brought  the  runner  directly  onto  it. 
Gus  was  thus  suddenly  recalled  to  another  line  of 
duty  and  responsibility.  With  a  loud  command  that 
stopped  the  horses,  he  sprang  clear  off  the  careening 
load,  at  the  same  time  attempting  to  rescue  'Lizbeth, 
but  too  late.  She  had  been  thrown  by  the  impulse 
of  the  load,  downward  into  a  narrow  gully  formed  by 
heavy  rains,  but  now  filled  with  light  snow— the  log 
in  some  miraculous  way  passing  clear  over  her,  went 
with  a  crunching  swash  into  the  snow  beyond.  Though 
it  had  not  harmed  her,  yet,  so  narrow  was  the  escape, 
that  it  held  fast  the  corners  of  the  robe  and  even  her 
own  mantle  and  skirts — worn,  as  was  then  the  fashion, 
long  and  full— and  thus,  fairly  imprisoned,  she  lay, 
unable  to  move  a  limb,  her  face  covered  with  snow. 
She  lay  there  paralyzed  and  speechless  for  an  instant, 
which  seemed  an  age  ;  then  Gus  was  clearing  the  snow 
from  her  face  and  calling  her  name  with  tender,  ago 
nized  accents.  He  really  feared  she  was  dead — death 
had  been  so  near,  so  imminent ;  yet,  when  with  living 


THE  LOVER'S  STRATEGY.  115 

voice  and  eyes  she  assured  him  she  was  not  hurt,  but 
only  very  uncomfortable,  he  shouted  aloud  with  joy  and 
laughed  away  the  tears  that  apprehension  had  brought 
to  his  eyes.  He  stood  there  beside  her,  making  no 
effort  to  release  her — this  devoted  man  who  for  two 
years  had  gone  at  her  beck  and  call,  ready  to  perish 
for  her,  if  she  had  so  willed  it — laughing  like  one 
demented  over  her  plight.  A  thought  had  struck  him, 
which,  with  her  there  for  once  at  his  mercy,  he  pro 
ceeded  to  act  upon. 

"Say  you  love  me,  'Lizbeth,  just  once  before  you 
die!" 

"Die,  Gus?  I  tell  you  I  am  not  hurt — am  not 
going  to  die,  unless  you  let  me  suffocate  !  Oh,  do 
hurry  and  get  me  out  !  " 

"  You  love  me,  do  you?  will  marry  me  the  fourth 
of  March  ? " 

"Why,  Gus,  do  help  me  out !  How  much  value 
would  you  place  upon  the  ratification  of  a  promise 
made  under  duress  ?  " 

' '  Of  eleven  hundred  feet  of  clear  lumber  ? "  he 
interrupted. 

"  I  '11  tear  my  clothes  all  to  pieces  and  get  out  of 
this  myself,  before  I  will  make  any  promise  to  one 
who  could  demand  it  at  such  a  time  !  and  then,  I  fear, 
I  might  not  present  a  very  edifying  appearance  !  " 

"And  you  might  take  cold!  You  are  comfort 
ably  wrapped  now  ;  have  a  nice  view — at  your  back  ! 
I  will  leave  you.  Some  good  Samaritan  —  a  bear, 
likely — will  come  along  and  relieve  you  of  your 
clothing,  and  astonish  you  with  the  embrace  you 
have  long  denied  me !  Good  by,  'Lizbeth  !  " 


116  MAPLE   RANGE. 

He  strove  to  get  away,  but  she  cried  : 
"In   heaven's   name,    Gus,    don't  leave   me   here 
alone  !    I  am  sure  I  can  't  stand  it  much  longer  !    My 
blood  is  congealing  !     My  limbs  are  cramping  pain 
fully  ! " 

The  tears  were  gushing  from  her  eyes,  and  Gus 
was  ready  to  fall  down  and  kiss  them  away ;  but  he 
held  out  steadily,  determined  to  conquer. 

"  'Lizbeth,  in  five  minutes  I  can  effect  your  eman 
cipation  ;  but  I  have  danced  attendance  upon  you 
with  no  assurance  of  reward  just  as  long  as  I  am 
going  to.  Now,  I  can  help  you  out,  but  with  the 
understanding  that  you  will  tell  me  if  you  love  me, 
and  me  alone,  and  that  you  will  marry  me  the  day  I 
have  named,  and  occupy  with  me  the  little  home  that 
has  waited  so  long  for  its  chosen  mistress.  Shall  I 
help  you  ? "  he  asked,  looking  down  earnestly  into 
her  eyes. 

"I  don't  deserve  it,  Gus!  First,  put  your  face 
down  here,  let  me  kiss  you,  then  help  me  out.  As 
your  wife,  I  will  make  amends  for  all  I  have  caused 
you  to  suffer." 

He  did  not  wait  for  the  kiss,  but  with  strong  hands 
and  a  stronger  will  soon  effected  her  release.  Taking 
the  loved  burden  up  in  his  arms,  their  lips  met  for  the 
first  time,  and  their  hearts  melted  together  in  mutual 
words  of  love. 

She  was  late  that  morning  to  school,  but  she  was 
not  wretched.  A  bird  sang  in  her  heart  all  day,  and 
all  the  days  of  the  remaining  term.  At  last,  one 
night,  she  called  the  roll,  and  tearful  children  an 
swered,  knowing  it  was  the  last  time.  The  little  ones 


THE  LOVER'S  STRATEGY.  117 

had  learned  to  love  her  too.  The  door  swung  to,  the 
key  turned  in  the  lock,  and  now  emancipated  from 
school  contracts,  she  stepped  into  the  new,  stylish 
sleigh,  and  was  driven  home  to  the  music  of  silvery 
bells.  The  house  was  furnished,  the  dresses  made, 
and  a  wedding  at  Cross'  gladdened  young  and  old.  It 
Avas  the  fourth  of  March,  and  Lincoln,  that  very  same 
day  took  his  seat  at  Washington. 

There  was  happiness  and  peace  in  the  home  of 
'Lizbeth  and  Gus,  for  neither  of  them  desired  to  be 
first,  and  they  therefore  secured  the  perfect  harmony 
resulting  from  mutual  concessions.  Soon  after  their 
marriage,  Mr.  Sutton  opened  a  series  of  revival 
meetings  in  the  meeting-house  of  the  settlement, 
which  proved  a  season  of  great  and  gracious  outpour 
ings.  Many  were  turned  from  paths  of  wickedness 
into  the  ways  of  truth.  'Lizbeth,  who  had  been  very 
thoughtful  upon  the  subject  ever  since  her  near 
and  appalling  view  of  death,  was  among  the  first  to 
manifest  a  desire  for  a  change  of  heart,  the  first  to  go 
forward  for  prayers,  and  hers  was  among  the  first  of 
the  many  professions  of  conversion  to  God.  Her 
experience  was  pronounced  very  bright  and  clear, 
and  she  was  welcomed  by  the  little  band  of  believers 
with  great  rejoicing.  After  her  conversion,  it  was 
but  natural  that  she  should  desire  that  of  Gus  as  well. 
Gus,  poor  fellow  desired  it  too.  In  his  new-found  joy 
of  communion  with  her,  he  could  not  bear  a  separa 
tion,  even  of  interest  or  thought,  from  his  wife,  and 
admitted  to  himself  that  he  feared  he  would  be  jeal 
ous  of  the  very  God  she  worshipped,  if  he  were  to  be 
shut  out.  He  knew,  of  course,  she  would  unite  with 


118  MAPLE    RANGE. 

the  church,  and  having  all  his  life  known  only  vener 
ation  for  the  church,  he  had  no  earthly  objections  ;  but 
he  told  her,  when  she  pleaded  with  him  to  "renounce 
the  devil  and  all  his  works,"  that  he  would  gladly  do 
so — gladly  become  a  Christian,  only  that  he  had  no 
religious  emotions,  no  particular  hatred  of  what  was 
termed  the  follies  of  the  world,  beyond  what  he  had 
always  entertained.  All  he  wanted  of  the  world  was 
just  what  was  honestly  his.  Of  that,  he  was  willing 
to  give  a  portion  for  the  support  of  the  church,  the 
spread  of  the  gospel ;  only  he  did  not  want  'Lizbeth 
included  in  that  bequest,  unless  he  could  give  himself 
too.  Comparing  his  emotions  with  the  extravagant 
expressions  of  some  under  conviction  of  sin,  he  had 
grave  doubts  as  to  whether  he  really  was  convicted, 
though  he  knew  "  something  was  the  matter  of  him." 
Mrs.  Wilson,  at  'Lizbeth's  request,  talked  and  prayed 
with  him  ;  Mr.  Sutton,  also ;  and  while  the  former 
was  in  doubt  as  to  his  real  state,  the  latter  declared  to 
Mrs.  Cross,  that  "  he  was  not  far  from  the  kingdom." 
Mrs.  Cross  felt  that  he  must  be  labored  with.  There 
was  a  woe  upon  those  "unequally  yoked  together 
with  unbelievers,"  and  'Lizbeth's  perseverance  would 
depend  greatly  upon  him.  She  wrestled  with  him 
energetically  ;  told  him  his  backwardness  and  want 
of  emotion  was  a  device  of  the  adversary  of  souls  to 
keep  him  from  accepting  the  offers  of  mercy  now 
extended  to  him.  She  with  half  a  dozen  others,  as 
zealous,  got  around  him  and  almost  dragged  him  to 
the  anxious  seat ;  and  there,  under  the  excitement  of 
the  hour,  when  a  peculiar  exaltation  had  possession  of 
him,  he  really  believed  it  was  as  they  represented. 


THE    LOVER'S   STRATEGY.  119 

In  the  midst  of  praise  and  prayer  and  exhortation, 
lifted,  as  it  were,  out  of  himself,  lie  confessed  aloud 
his  sins  and  prayed  for  mercy.  It  was  the  last  night 
of  the  meetings.  He  went  home  to  begin  a  new  life 
of  service  and  devotion  to  his  Maker  ;  but  he  could 
not  bring  his  soul  into  that  subjection  to  God  that  he 
believed  was  the  result  of  true  conversion  ;  could  not 
possess  the  joy  which  was  expressed  in  every  line  of 
'Lizbeth's  face,  and  rang  in  every  tone  of  her  voice. 
He  questioned  his  soul  deeply,  and  that  examination 
convinced  him  he  was  deceived.  In  the  broad,  garish 
clay,  he  grew  ashamed  of  the  part  he  had  been  per 
suaded  to  act ;  ashamed  that  he  had  prayed.  The 
mortification  attending  this  peculiar  experience,  or 
rather  want  of  experience,  was  great ;  not  that  Gus 
would  have  been  ashamed  to  acknowledge  his  God  by 
a  public  profession  of  his  acceptance  with  him, 
had  he  felt  that  to  be  genuine.  He  respected 
Christians,  in  whom  he  had  confidence,  as  much  as 
he  despised  hypocrites.  He  expressed  his  mortifica 
tion  to  'Lizbeth,  who  had  the  good  sense  to  comfort 
him  in  quite  a  different  way  from  what  her  mother 
would  have  done  ;  told  him  it  was  only  a  mistaken 
emotion,  and  proved  nothing  against  him  or  the  relig 
ion  she  hoped  he  would  some  day  enjoy.  Her  sensible 
way  of  looking  at  the  matter  had  the  effect  to  recon 
cile  him.  On  town  meeting  day,  he  ventured  out 
timorously,  expecting  somebody  would  rally  him 
upon  this  one  sore  point. 

He  fell  in  with  Center  on  the  way  and  learned  that 
he  was  cherishing  ambitions  that  Gus  believed  were 
fruitless.  He  knew  the  man  was  and  had  been  h'<mr- 


120  MAPLE   RANGE. 

ing  for  some  time  to  build  himself  up  by  the.  over? 
throw  of  another  ;  knew  that  he  had  been  trying  to 
undermine  Maynard,  and,  moreover,  Gus  knew  well 
that  Charles  Center  was  powerless  to  do  so.  Though 
he  had  worked  early  and  late  with  that  object  in  view, 
he  had  really  overdone  the  matter,  and  instead  of 
weakening,  had  strengthened  his  adversary's  position. 
Mr.  Maynard  would  be  ever  gratefully  remembered 
as  one  whose  unselfish  efforts  had  always  been  for  the 
good  of  Maple  Range.  Center,  it  will  be  remem 
bered,  had  secured  the  final  appointment  of  Pierre 
Scott  at  the  time  of  the  panic  over  a  year  ago,  and 
though  astonished  then  to  find  he  was  so  influential,  it 
had  decided  him  to  venture  into  political  life  since  he 
had  signally  failed  in  everything  else.  He  had 
caused  the  suggestion  of  hits'  name  in  connection  with 
the  office  of  magistrate,  and  confidently  believed  he 
would  get  the  nomination,  and  nomination  in  that 
town  was  equivalent  to  election. 

He  had  modestly  remained  away  until  after  the 
caucus,  and  entered  the  school-house  with  Gus  just 
as  the  polls  were  opening.  Gus  was  too  good-natured 
to  inquire  who  were  the  nominees  in  Center's  hearing, 
but  Dave  Persons  told  them  off,  snapping  his  pocket- 
handkerchief  at  each  name,  and  watching  Center's 
face  as  lie  lingered  over  that  of  ' '  Ben  Calmer,  Justice 
of  the  Peace,"  adding  : 

"It's  a  pity,  Gus,  that  you  was  in  such  a  deuce 
of  a  hurry  to  get  married,  for  Ben  is  bound  to  marry 
the  first  couple  for  nothing,  just  to  get  the  hang  of 
the  business,  and  they  do  say  you  paid  old  man 
Sutton  ten  dollars  for  that  job  of  yours,  eh  ?  " 


THE   LOVER'S   STRATEGY.  121 

Jehial  Smith  had  been  through  the  mill,  and  knew 
that  Gus  would  wince  at  this  public  allusion  to  his 
recently  assumed  matrimonial  responsibilities,  and  so 
came  to  the  rescue  with  a  bit  of  history  that  would 
turn  the  tables  on  Dave. 

"I  say,  Gus,"  said  he,  "it's  an  awful  pity  Ben 
was  n't  Justice  once  at  least,  during  the  eight  years 
that  Dave  was  sparkin  '  the  widder  down  in  Illinois. 
They  do  say  he  would  have  married  her  sure,  if  he 
could  ha'  raised  the  money  to  pay  the  Justice,  so 
scared  was  he  that  she  would  sue  him  for  breach  of 
promise." 

Dave  vanished.  Poor  Dave  !  No  one  was  liked 
better,  no  friend  more  true  than  he  ;  yet  he  had  a 
knack  of  running  against  snags.  When  he  returned 
it  was  late  in  the  afternoon  ;  he  deposited  his  vote 
and  just  then  caught  sight  of  uncle  Carce  Smith  on  his 
knees  away  in  one  corner  of  the  room,  changing  a 
ballot  for  some  one.  Here  was  another  chance. 
Dave  directed  attention  to  that  corner  and  the  room 
grew  so  still  the  jabs  of  the  old  blunt  pencil  could  be 
heard  distinctly,  then  in  a  solemn  voice  said  : 

"Let  us  unite  in  prayer  for  uncle  Smith's  candi 
date." 

Uncle  Smith  got  on  to  his  feet  during  the  applause 
that  followed,  then,  with  long,  thin  finger  pointing  to 
Dave,  he  prepared  to  send  that  shaft  of  ridic.ule  back, 
and  he  did. 

"You  are  the  man,  Dave,  and  no  one  needs  pray 
ers  more.     But  if  ever  I  scratch  another  ticket  and 
substitute  your  name,  I  will  get  down  in  dust  and 
ashes  and  pray  to  be  forgiven." 
6 


122  MAPLE    RANGE. 

At  the  close  of  the  polls,  nearly  all  those  that  had 
been  there  in  the  morning  were  there  still.  That  was 
the  way  to  maintain  the  proper  dignity  of  the  town. 
If  men  were  to  vote  and  run  away,  there  would  be  no 
crowd,  no  gossip  worthy  the  name  of  town  meeting. 
They  might  live  to  vote  another  day,  but  to  all  ap 
pearance  no  one  believed  they  would.  No  use  of 
going  home  either  till  after  the  counting  of  votes  ; 
without  a  crowd,  where  would  the  cheering  of  suc 
cessful  candidates  come  from  ? 

The  votes-  were  counted  at  last,  but  the  only  an 
nouncement  of  interest  to  us  was  this  one,  and  it  was 
received  in  silence — "Charles  Center,  constable" 

The  next  day,  obedient  to  invitation,  there  was  a 
big  gathering  in  the  "  sap  bush "  of  uncle  Carce 
Smith.  It  was  a  magnificent  Spring  morning  ;  the 
snow  had  disappeared  and  left  the  brown  patches  of 
leaves  which  the  last  Autumn  spread,  but  which  the 
winds  had  gathered  and  piled  to  their  own  liking,  and 
from  which  the  warm  sun  brought  delicious  exhala 
tions,  steaming  pure  and  fragrant,  mingled  with 
whiffs  of  balsamic  odors  from  the  evergreens  that 
skirted  the  Waubece  just  over  the  high  divide.  Sun 
light  lay  in  patches  also  under  the  trees  that  looked 
stark  and  uncomfortable,  denuded  of  their  leafy  gar 
ments.  Of  just  such  it  was  the  poet  discoursed  for 
childhood's  benefit : 

The  colder  it  blows,  they  fling  off  their  clothes, 
And  in  Winter  quite  naked  appear. 

•> 
^The  sounds  of  the  camp  were  discernible  a  long 

way  off  in  the  Spring  atmosphere,  through  the  bare 


THE  LOVER'S  STRATEGY.  123 

trees.  Men  were  shouting  to  one  another  and  to  the 
oxen  that  were  slowly  bringing  in  the  great  tanks  of 
sap.  Some  were  chopping  wood  ;  some  were  hewing 
out  troughs,  while  some  were  manufacturing  the  same 
of  birch  bark.  Others  were  busy  building  and  attend 
ing  to  fires  under  the  kettles,  little  and  big,  and  the 
cauldrons  of  boiling  syrup.  Another  was  busy  about 
the  huge  evaporators. 

The  fires  over  which  the  multiform  utensils  hung, 
suspended  by  curious  devices,  were  in  front  of  a  three- 
sided  shelter  or  cabin,  where,  upon  clean  straw  and  a 
goodly  supply  of  bedding,  the  more  feeble  of  the 
visitors  and  the  babies  were  deposited.  In  the  cabin 
the  watchmen  of  the  camp  were  wont  to  sleep,  ' '  turn 
about,"  as  they  boiled  the  sap  night  and  day  during 
the  season. 

Women  were  busy  here  now,  unpacking  dishes  and 
arranging  them  on  the  long  table  improvised  of  rough 
boards  and  covered  with  white  table  linen.  There 
was  a  great  deal  of  work  on  hand,  and  willing,  if 
sometimes  "  fussy,"  hands  to  do  it,  and  bits  of  choice 
gossip  were  exchanged  during  its  execution.  Check 
aprons  were  in  demand,  and  hither,  thither  and  every 
where  their  wearers  appeared,  like  jack-o  '-lanterns  in 
the  twilight  mist. 

The  talk  that  rose  and  fell  upon  the  distant  ear 
was  not  unlike  the  perpetual  music  of  the  sociable 
little  peepers  on  the  borders  of  a  pool.  A  perpetual 
flow  of  words  and  a  burden  of  "  What's  the  news? 
tell  the  news,  all  the  news,"  piped  in  treble  voices 
which  sank  to  a  low  diminuendo  at  the  recital  of  some 
choice  tid-bit  of  gossip.  The  women  were  all  so 


124:  MAPLE    RANGE. 

intent  upon  their  employment,  wordwise  and  other 
wise,  that  Ben  Palmer  had  driven  right  in  among 
them,  the  sound  of  the  wheels  deadened  by  the  leafy 
carpet,  unnoticed  till  he  came  to  a  standstill  and 
called  to  Mrs.  Wilson  : 

"Have  you  women  folks  no  eyes  for  the  'Squire 
and  his  family." 

There  was  a  sudden  lull  and  then  a  swell  of  voices 
as  they  rushed  to  the  wagon,  to  shake  hands  and 
welcome  the  new  arrival,  and  Ben,  with  satisfied 
looks,  said  : 

"  That  looks  a  little  more  like  now,  when  your  im 
portant  citizens  honor  your  sugar  bees  you  want  to 
fly  around  and  make  a  big  fuss  over  'em." 

' '  Why  the  la  sus  !  Ruth  you  will  catch  your 
death  out  here,  and  Freddie  too.  Ben  orto  hed  more 
sense  than  to  bring  ye  out,  even  if  ye  did  tease  to 
come,  as  I  '11  warren t  you  did,"  said  Mrs.  Wilson. 
"  There's  Ruth  been  pimpin'  all  Winter,  and  a  drink 
ing  yarb  tea  all  Spring,  with  Miannctta  there,  week 
in  and  week  out,  trying  to  cure  her  up,  and  now  to 
come  right  out  into  these  damp  woods,  seems  like 
tempting  Providence,  it  does." 

"Mother,  I  feel  so  much  better  to  get  out  and 
away  from  home  a  little;  I  will  be  real  careful,  see 
how  I'm  bundled  up." 

"Well  we  must  make  the  best  of  a  poor  idee," 
said  Mrs.  Wilson,  putting  the  fortieth  great  biscuit  on 
the  table,  while  as  many  as  could  get  hold  of  her, 
hauled  Ruth  off  to  the  little  cabin  near  the  great  fires, 
where  Freddie  was  taken  in  hand  by  Nellie  Maynard, 


THE   LOVER'S   STRATEGY.  125 

and,  led  by  her  hand,  knew  and  asked  for  no  other 
attention  all  that  long  delightful  day. 

Ben  having  disposed  his  team  safely,  came  back  to 
the  merry  party,  and  leaning  with  folded  arms 
against  a  tree,  commenced  a  good  humored  complaint 
against  the  ills  of  life  generally. 

"  Why,"  said  he,  "I've  been  up  ever  since  four 
o'clock  this  morning,  hard  at  work  to  get  up  an  appe 
tite  for  all  the  good  things  here.  After  doing  up  all 
my  own  work  at  the  barn,  I  went  into  the  house,  and 
just  pulled  off  my  coat  and  rolled  up  my  sleeves,  and 
washed,  and  churned,  and  baked,  and  brewed,  and 
made  a  cheese." 

"  That  was  nothing,"  said  Jehial  Smith.  "  A  man 
can  work,  but  I  tell  ye  it's  hard  to  starve.  Now  I  got 
up  with  a  tolerable  appetite  this  morning.  I  had  n't 
had  a  single  mouthful  since  yesterday,  and  to-morrow, 
you  know,  would  be  the  third  day.  Well,  when  I 
asked  Belinda  for  my  breakfast,  she  told  me  we  was 
'jest  out.'  Think  of  that  Ben,  and  now,  though  I 
took  a  good  deal  of  comfort  for  once  in  hurrying, 
I  've  got  here  right  in  sight  of  all  these  nick-nacks, 
just  in  time  to  wait  nobody  knows  how  long  for  my 
dinner.  There  is  no  hard  work  like  starving. " 

"Here's  my  hat,"  said  Ben,  stooping  to  take  up 
Freddie,  whom  Nellie  had  led  to  his  father,  and 
carrying  him  to  see  the  curious  baby  in  the  cabin, 
"without  no  hair  on  its  head."  It  was  Belinda's 
baby  and  evidently  better  fed  than  Jehial. 

"The  very  image  of  Belinda,"  said  one,  while 
another  declared  it  looked  exactly  like  Jehial. 
Another  saw  in  it  a  perfect  likeness  of  grandma 


126  MAPLE   RANGE. 

Smith,  while  she  suggested  a  resemblance  to  Paddy 
O'Shannon,  who  just  then  was  lumbering  into  view. 

"How  blue  his  eyes  are,"  said  Nellie,  and  Mrs. 
Ellis  said  : 

"  Yes,  his  eyes  are  blue,  but  in  this  fresh  atmos 
phere  his  nose  I  notice  is  getting  a  little  reddish." 

"  Be  sure  I  like  horse-radish  wonderful  well,"  said 
old  Mrs.  Porter,  who  was  not  quite  as  deaf  as  a  post, 
for  she  caught  now  and  then  a  whole  word,  and 
always  used  it  as  a  text  on  which  to  expatiate,  to  the 
great  amusement  of  all  listeners. 

"I  think  the  baby  would  be  right  pretty,"  said 
grandma  Smith,  "if  he  was  not  so  extravagantly 
bald." 

"O,  so  you  heard  about  that  did  ye.  I  knew 
Jehial  would  tell  on't,  it  was  so  funny,"  said  Mrs. 
Porter,  who  had  struck  another  word,  and  they  were 
all  in  for  a  good  one  now.  ' '  I  told  father  that  it 
would  be  in  everybody's  mouth,  and  the  neighbors 
would  all  be  sayin'  to  one  another,  'O,  have  you 
hearn  about  that  scrape  ? '  I  dropped  my  patchin', 
thimble  and  all,  and  run  out  directly  the  cow  bawled, 
and  there  she  was  a  goin'  it,  lickerty  brindle, 
through  the  garding,  with  her  head  stuck  clean 
through  a  old  baskit  that  I  had  been  strainin'  soap 
through,  and  the  bottom  had  fell  out  down  inter  the 
bar'l ;  but  bles«  ye  't  want  no  loss."  The  last  sentence 
was  added  in  a  soothing  consolatory  manner,  and  she 
joined  in  the  good  humor,  laughing  with  the  rest  till 
the  tears  came  into  her  dim  old  eyes. 

"Marnma,"  said  Carlos  Center,  who  was  regard 
ing  the  baby  as  curiously  as  if  it  was  a  mummy  just 


THE   LOVER'S   STRATEGY.  127 

from  the  catacombs,  "It  hain't  got  no  eyes  nor  no 
mouf  in  its  face  round  here,"  and  he  went  behind  the 
baby  and  put  his  hand  on  the  back  of  its  head,  and 
looked  up  into  his  mother's  face  with  puzzled  look, 
adding,  "nor  no  teeth,  but  it  wants  to  bite  all  the 
time." 

"It  has  a  very  wise  look,"  was  uncle  Carce's 
observation,  "  as  though  it  had  been  engaged  in  pro 
found  thought  ever  since  the  dawn  of  the  Christian 
era." 

" Era  !  Why  that's  the  very  railroad  my  Saman- 
tha's  man  got  killed  on,"  chimed  in  Mrs.  Porter. 
"  Marcy  to  us,  but  wasn't  that  a  smash  up,  though. 
Took  the  kink  all  out  of  Samantha,  for  ye  see  they 
never  could  find  hide  nor  hair  of  the  chists,  and  she 
had  n't  the  fust  blessed  rag  nor  ribbin  to  put  onto  her 
children,  nothin'  but  a  little  old  bake  kittle  that  I  gin 
her  with  her  sett'n'  out. " 

"No,  no,  mother,  that  was  the  New  York  and 
Erie,"  said  her  husband,  "not  the  Christian." 

"Well,  I  can't  say  that  he  was  raly  a  Christian, 
though  he  had  a  good  many  wak'nin's  and  backslid 
ag'in.  But  he  was  under  a  powerful  consarn  of  mind, 
I  remember,  that  Winter  that  the  Millerites  was 
round.  But  that  was  a  good  while  ago,  and  he  might 
a  gone  back  to  the  beggarly  elements,  for  all  I 
know."  Here  the  old  dame  heaved  a  sigh  that 
seemed  to  come  from  clear  down  below  her  apron 
strings. 

"Good  day,  O'Shannon,"  said  uncle  Carce,  ad 
vancing  to  take  the  hand  of  the  Irishman,  who 
claimed  he  had  "papers,"  and  was,  therefore,  a  man 


128  MAPLE   RANGE. 

and  a  brother.  At  any  rate  he  was  a  welcome  per 
sonage  at  all  gatherings.  "Why  where 's  the  wife 
and  babies,  you  promised  to  bring  with  you  to-day  ?" 

"Oh,  they  '11  be  afther  comin  '  next  time,  Misther 
Smith." 

"Next  time  !  Why,  man,  do  you  think  we  make 
sugar  all  Summer  ?  "  said  grandma  Smith. 

"Well,  but,  Mrs.  Smith,"  was  the  deliberate  ex 
planation,  "the  wather  in  the  Waubece  is  so  high 
that  I  was  fareful  it  wus  n't  safe  to  bring  me  wagin 
across  the  dam,  an '  me  woman,  you  know,  is  too  low 
on  the  ground  to  wade." 

"  What 's  that,  O'Shannon  ?  Is  the  water  running 
over  the  dam  already  ?  " 

"  Sure,  an  '  it  is  ;  in  some  places  half  the  height 
o'  me  boot  now." 

"  Well,  friends,  we  will  have  to  look  out  for  our 
logs  over  there.  When  the  water  gets  that  high,  it 's 
time  to  wake  up,  and  nearly  every  man  of  us  has  logs 
in  jeopardy." 

"  Jeopardy  !  Why,  I  thought  you  hauled  yer. 
logs  down  to  Watkins'  mill,"  said  Mrs.  Porter,  look 
ing  mystified. 

"  Yes  marm,  that 's  just  what  we  did." 

"Well,  what  d  'ye  mean  by  say  in  '  yer  logs  are  in 
jeopardy  ?  " 

"Oh,  ye  see,  mother,  that  is  the  old  Indian  name," 
said  Mr.  Porter. 

"Well,  I  never  hearn  it  called  that  before.  Jeop 
ardy  !  what  a  name  !  Them  Injuns  beat  everything  in 
naming  places,  I  du  declare  to  man." 

And  the  old  lady  addressed  herself  again  to  her 


THE   LOVER'S   STRATEGY.  129 

knitting,  counting  each  stitch  with  a  jerk  of  her  head 
that  flapped  her  wide  cap  border  back  and  forth  with 
great  effect. 

"It  '11  be  hard  for  us  to  lose  them  logs,  but  noth 
ing  to  AVatkins'  loss,  if  he  should  have  a  break  in  his 
dam,  just  as  he  might  begin  to  saw." 

"Wall,  now,  I  don't  know,  Mr.  Smith,  as  Saman- 
ther  reely  thinks  he  is  damned.  She  do  n't  say  so, 
but  she  is  kinder  flighty  and  wanderin  '  in  her  mind, 
and  has  been  ever  since  the  smash-up.  It  puts  a  body 
out  a  good  deal,  ye  know,  when  they  lose  all  their 
chists  and  things,"  broke  in  the  old  lady. 

Uncle  Carce  got  up  with  a  terrible  frown  on  his 
face,  and  set  to  work  punching  the  fire  energetically. 
Grandma  knew  the  frown  was  only  the  effect  of  sup 
pressing  the  smile  that  he  feared  would  hurt  the  deaf 
old  lady's  feelings,  and  he  never  was  known  to  willfully 
hurt  any  one's  feelings  in  all  his  long,  simple  and  pure 
life.  Those  who  knew  him  well  respected  him  all  the 
more  that,  as  they  knew,  he  possessed  a  wonderfully 
quick  appreciation  of  the  ludicrous,  and  frowned  away 
many  a  time  the  laughter  which  was  almost  irresisti 
ble,  but  whose  indulgence  might  have  wounded  some 
simple  heart. 

He  examined  the  kettle  of  syrup  "sugaring  off" 
for  the  occasion  and  pronounced  it  done.  The  boys 
had  been  at  work  some  time  preparing  little  dainty 
wooden  ladles  or  spoons,  and  now  each  one  was 
helped  to  a  generous  saucer  of  warm  maple  sugar. 

"Boys,   can't  you   find   some   ice   somewhere?" 
uncle  Carce  said,  and  lo,  in  a  few  moments  his  dutiful 
son,  with  Gus,  was  seen  bringing  in  a  great  basket 
I 


130  MAPLE  KANGE. 

full  of  solid  crystals  they  had  found,  sheltered  by  a 
ledge  of  rock  just  at  the  source  of  Dimple  Run 
Creek.  Delicious  wax  was  manufactured  that  had  a 
marked  effect  in  suspending  conversation,  the  ejacu- 
latory  attempts  •  at  which  by  the  wax-eaters  induced 
great  amusement.  Then  a  shout  rent  the  air  when 
Wilson,  thinking  to  improve  upon  the  manufactured 
article,  scraped  a  huge  mouthful  of  the  adhering  sugar 
from  the  side  of  the  kettle,  and  put  it  in  his  mouth. 

"It  waxeth  hot,"  said  Ben  Palmer,  laughing  with 
an  irreverence  that  was  scarcely  relished  by  his  suffer 
ing  father-in-law.  Just  then  dinner  was  announced, 
and  they  gathered  about  the  table,  hats,  hoods,  scarfs 
and  sunbonnets  on,  these  being  humorously  declared 
to  be  "full  dress."  What  tea  and  coffee,  with  real 
cream  !  what  bread  and  biscuit,  with  such  delicious 
butter,  eaten  with  a  crisp  water-cress  for  a  relish. 
Home-cured  and  smoked  ham  with  a  handsome  gar 
nishing  of  parsley  and  boiled  eggs  held  the  place  of 
honor,  surrounded  by  a  numberless  array  of  good  and 
toothsome  food  of  every  description.  Last  of  all 
came  dried-pumpkin  pie,  a  pie  that  originated  with 
the  Pilgrim  mothers,  and  has  been  handed  down,  with 
due  credit  to  them,  as  delicious,  economical  and  al 
ways  to  be  had.  Upon  the  frontier,  after  the  first 
crop,  this  pie  is  as  common  on  the  settler's  table  as 
the  universal  bread  and  butter  and  coffee. 

"All  mankind,  in  spite  of  color  and  caste  and  es 
tate,  occupy  a  common  level  three  times  a  day, 
through  and  amid  all  the  commotions  of  life,  when 
the  universal  stomach,  the  foundation  of  trade  and 
brotherhood,  is  satisfying  its  importunities.  How 


THE   LOVER'S   STRATEGY.  131 

few  reflect,  as  they  eat  the  nicely  prepared  food,  that 
they  thus  replenish  an  irrepressible  principle  of  life 
and  growth,"  said  Mr.  Button,  after  grace  at  the  close 
of  the  meal,  while  still  all  lingered  at  the  table  in  that 
pleasing  after-dinner  communion,  where  there  are 
good  talkers  and  good  listeners. 

"An  irrepressible  principle,  truly,"  said  Her 
bert  Gray,  a  young  man  from  Ohio,  now  visiting  his 
sister,  Mrs.  Ellis.  "A  principle  that,  in  spite  of  all 
obstacles,  still  pushes  on.  The  foot  of  a  Chinese 
woman  may  be  encased  in  an  iron  shoe,  but  the  grow 
ing  force  of  nature  is  simply  thwarted,  and  produces 
an  uncouth  ankle  above  the  dwarfed  and  useless  foot, 
like  that  unsightly  gnarl  upon  the  tree." 

' '  The  peculiar  taste  of  the  Flathead  Indians  is  an 
other  instance  which  shows  the  omnipotence  of  this 
force.  By  the  application  of  powerful  pressure,  a 
malformation  of  the  head  changes  features  not  other 
wise  repulsive  until  the  human  face  resembles  that  of 
goblins,"  said  Mr.  Sutton. 

"And  to  come  nearer  home,"  interposed  Mrs. 
Ellis,  "  if  not  convinced  that  symmetry  demands  the 
freedom  of  this  force,  we  have  its  evidence  right 
among  ourselves ;  health  is  outraged,  proportion  set 
aside  by  the  use  of  restraints,  which  produce  an 
unnatural  slenderness  of  waist,  and  an  equally  unnatu 
ral  breadth  of  shoulder.  We  women  folks  have  two 
masters,  fashion  and  appetite." 

"  We  have  submitted  very  willingly  and  agreeably 
to  one  of  'em  to-day,  I'm  sure,"  said  Mrs.  Wilson. 
"But  if  there  isn't  Tad  Wilson  in  the  very  tipmost 
top  of  the  trees." 


132  MAPLE  EANGE. 

"What  are  you  doing  there,  Tad?  "  shouted  Wil 
son. 

"I  want  to  get  the  other  side  of  the  table,"  said 
Tad. 

"Well,  why  in  the  name  of  wonder  didn't  you 
crawl  under  then,"  said  Mrs.  Wilson,  exhibiting  some 
excitement. 

"  Or  go  round  ?  "  asked  several. 

' '  Cause  'Lizbeth  Harkness  told  me  never  to  go 
round  anything  I  could  get  over,"  explained  Tad. 

"Why,  Tad  !  "  cried  'Lizbeth,  "I  '11  forgive  the 
misapplication  ;  but  come  down  now,  that 's  a  dear 
boy  !  and  I  will  try  and  make  my  meaning  more 
clear  to  you.  Oh,  dear !  I  am  so  afraid  the  child 
will  fall !  " 

"  He  fall  ?  Never  !  "  was  Wilson's  cheerful  assur 
ance.  "  Why,  thar  's  none  o'  my  gang  that  can  climb 
with  that  boy  !  He  lives  in  tree-tops." 

This  expedient  of  the  boy's  drew  out  some  good 
remarks  which  at  last  brought  them  around  to  the 
theme  of  the  hour,  and  an  earnest  discussion  ensued 
on  passing  events  (that  reached  them  but  tardily  com 
pared  with  their  importance  and  their  own  impatience 
for  news).  Perfect  unanimity  of  sentiment  apparently 
prevailed,  till  uncle  Carce  made  some  reproachful 
allusion  to  the  "Southern  chivalry."  Mr.  Center 
undertook  its  defense  in  sharp  words  that  astonished 
that  loyal,  Union-loving  company. 

' '  You  have  great  contempt  of  the  chivalry  now, 
Mr.  Smith  ;  but  wait  a  few  months  and  your  contempt 
will  change  to  respect  and  fear.  When  the  North 
crosses  swords  with  them,  and  that  is  a  certain  event, 


THE   LOVER'S   STRATEGY.  133 

disparagement  of  their  power  and  courage  will  end. 
They  are  too  spirited  to  submit  to  Lincoln's  or  any 
other  mud-sill's  administration.  It  is  the  revolt  of 
noble  natures  against  the  rule  of  the  ignoble,  the 
parvenu. " 

"Men  are  not  blind!  They  can  see  that  this 
objection  to  Lincoln's  administration  is  only  the  pre 
tense  !  Through  it  old  fires  break  out.  This  matter 
has  been  brewing  for  years — and  ever  so  many  years. 
Capital  has  striven  to  get  its  heel  upon  the  neck  of 
labor  ;  to  alter  the  constitution  so  that  it  should  con 
form  to  this  end  ;  to  rend  in  pieces  the  United  States. 
Why,  secession  was  the  midnight  dream  and  the 
noonday  cry  of  Southern  statesmen,  when  I  was  a 
boy.  The  dark  plans  incipient  then  are  maturing 
now  ;  and  it  would  be  the  same  if  the  angel  Gabriel 
himself  had  been  chosen  President,"  said  uncle  Carce. 

' '  Where  is  your  freedom  ? "  inquired  Center. 
"What  is  the  liberty  worth  which  denies  the  right  to 
withdraw  from  a  compact  that  cripples  your  interest? 
It  is  an  Old-world  despotism,  which  issues  passports 
and  places  restraints  upon  subjects  guilty  of  no  crime." 

"What!  Is  it  no  crime  to  plan  treason  ;  to  arm 
and  fortify,  using  public  material  to  do  so  ?  It  is  a 
design  to  overthrow  free  institutions  ;  to  perpetuate 
slavery  and  introduce  a  reign  of  aristocracy,  with 
strong  monarchical  tendencies ! "  continued  uncle 
Carce. 

' '  Those  institutions  were  based  upon  the  assump 
tion  of  the  equality  of  human  rights.  The  govern 
ment  the  South  will  establish  when  victorious,  will 
have  another — an  opposite  foundation — of  real  benefit 


134  MAPLE   RANGE. 

to  all,  for  the  negro  will  be  brought  into  healthy  sub 
jection,  and,  denied  a  Northern  asylum,  he  will  once 
more  have  a  value,"  said  Center,  pompously. 

"  You  say  those  institutions  were  based  upon  the 
assumption  of  the  equality  of  races ;  now,  I  say  they 
are  based  upon  the  equal  rights  of  all  men  ;  that  we 
have  that  government  still,  and  it  will  be  sustained 
without  the  withdrawal  of  a  single  State,"  said  uncle 
Carce,  fervently. 

"  If  you  were  an  Hibernian,  you  could  not  in  one 
breath  have  uttered  a  more  glaring  contradiction," 
laughed  Center.  "  You  boast  of  the  assured  liberty 
of  action,  and  then  declare  that  South  Carolina, 
though  she  came  into  it  voluntarily,  can  not  as  volun 
tarily  leave  the  Union  !  Like  the  Roman  Catholic's 
religion,  than  which  there  is  no  blacker  despotism 
under  the  sun,  which  invites  with  all  the  blandish 
ments  of  unscrupulous  hypocrisy  the  unsuspecting 
nun,  and  then  denies  her  enlightened  desire  to  with 
draw,  you  would  say  to  South  Carolina,  You  can 
come  but  you  can  not  go  !  " 

"  I  do  not  say  that,  which  is  untrue  of  equal  rights 
and  equal  rewards.  Your  claims  and  mine  to  respect 
and  protection  are  equal,  as  our  efforts  to  earn  them 
are  equal.  None  can  deny  these  assurances  of  our 
government.  As  to  South  Carolina,  she  came  into 
the  Union  with  her  slaves,  and  might  have  retained 
them  perhaps  ;  but  she  was  not  satisfed  with  this ; 
now  demands,  as  a  condition  of  her  loyalty,  a  consti 
tutional  protection  of  slavery  in  the  Territories  ;  even 
proposes  to  chastise  the  North  into  acquiescence  with 
her  demand  !  Oh,  sir,  terms  will  be  dictated  and 


THE  LOVER'S  STRATEGY.  135 

she  forced  to  remain  in  the  Union,  and  very  likely 
deprived  of  her  slaves,"  said  uncle  Carce,  warming. 

"  That 's  all  bosh,  now,  uncle  Smith !  The  South 
never  will  submit  to  Northern  coercion,"  cried  Center, 
losing  his  temper. 

"  It 's  more  cussedness  than  anything  else  that  ails 
the  South,"  said  Gus,  losing  patience  and  indignant 
that  a  secessionist  should  suddenly  be  discovered 
among  them.  "You  say  the  South  will  not  submit 
to  coercion  ;  I  say  they  will  ;  they  shall  j  and  seces 
sion  principle  Avill  have  to  keep  pretty  close  too.  The 
North  will  not  submit  to  an  alteration  of  the  consti 
tution  ;  neither  will  she  submit  to  secession  —  the 
breaking  up  and  destruction  of  the  Union,  as  that  is 
in  opposition  to  the  constitution." 

"Why,  ye  don't  say,  Gus!"  chimed  in  Mrs. 
Porter.  "Ye  don't  say  that  your  constitution  is 
breaking  now,  at  your  time  o'  life  ?  but  then,  there 
was  our  Emeline,  you  know  ;  she  was  as  young  and 
chipper  as  you  be  ;  but  she  jest  went  and  broke  her 
constitution  all  to  flinders,  working  up  there  in  them 
piney  woods ;  worked  !  of  course  she  did,  and  never 
any  pay  either,  for  ye  see  the  boss,  he  ran  off,  and 
then  the  company  failed  ;  and  Emeline,  she  never  got 
what  would  buy  an  ounce  of  nutmegs.  Nutmegs  is 
dreadful  good  now  in  this  new-fangled  dope  that  they 
call  '  mange  ' — yes,  tHat  's  it — the  same  that  ailed  our 
dog.  They  make  it  out  o'  corn  starch,  Belinda  says ; 
and  another  thing,  nutmegs  is  good  for  babies  when 
they  are  troubled  with  colic.  You  must  steep  it  in  tea, 
and  put  in  a  little  sugar  and  cream,  though  if  you 


136  MAPLE   RANGE. 

hain't  got  sugar,  molasses  '11  do,  and  if  ye  hain't  any 
milk—" 

"O  thunder,  mother  !  hold  on  !  or,  if  you  know 
of  anything  in  the  world  good  for  wind,  take  some  ; 
take  a  lot  of  it ;  and  then  see  if  you  can  't  catch  the 
boss,"  roared  Mr.  Porter,  rubbing  his  bald  head  and 
laughing  immoderately,  as  did  everybody  else. 

The  old  lady  laughed  too  ;  she  always  did  laugh, 
if  she  saw  others  laughing,  and  cried  if  they  cried. 
She  did  not  dream  they  were  laughing  at  her  remarks  ; 
had  even  now  forgotten  what  she  had  been  saying. 
She  was  so  deaf  and  so  innocent,  living  much  in  the 
past ;  as  regarded  the  present,  except  that  she  could 
see,  and  sight  is  a  blessing,  with  ten  thousand  around 
her,  she  would  be,  "poor  soul,  all  alone." 

While  the  dinner  was  in  progress,  Nellie,  whose 
appetite  had  been  ruined  by  too  much  sugar,  had 
volunteered  to  take  care  of  and  amuse  the  children. 
So  with  Freddie  and  Carlos  Center  on  each  side  of 
her,  she  was  comfortably  disposed  upon  the  blankets 
and  hay  in  the  cabin,  with  Belinda's  baby  in  her  lap. 
An  invoice  of  small  fry  about  her. 

"Tell  us  a  story,  Nellie,  about  some  other  baby. 
I  'm  tired  of  this  one,"  said  Carlos,  and  Nellie  re 
sponded  : 

"  "Well,  once  upon  a  time  there  was  a  king — " 

"  O,  Nellie,  you  needn't  try  to  fool  us,  that  was 
Mr.  Sutton's  dog,  his  name  is  King,  tell  us  a  real 
story  now." 

"This  story  is  not  about  a  dog." 

"  Honest  injun !     Ain't  it  a  dog  ?" 

"  No,  it  was  a  wise  man;  and  one  day  two  women 


THE   LOVER'S   STRATEGY.  137 

came  to  him,  and  between  them  carried  a  baby,  each 
one  saying  it  was  her  baby." 

"  And  could  n't  the  baby  tell  by  crying  which  was 
its  own  mother.  Why  did  n't  it  reach  out  its  hands, 
this  way?" 

"It  was  too  little.  One  woman  said,  'It  is  my 
child,  O  king,'  and  the  other  woman  said,  '  Nay — '  '' 

"I  know  how  she  did  that.  Our  horses  neigh," 
said  Freddie,  giving  her  an  imitation. 

"She  did  not  talk  that  way,  but  said,  'No,  no — 
the  baby  is  mine.'  The  king  was  perplexed,  so  he 
said  to  his  servant,  '  Bring  me  a  sword. ' ' 

"What  is  a  sword,  Nellie." 

"A  long  sharp  knife." 

"  Was  he  going  to  feed  the  baby  ? " 

"No,  he  wanted  to  see  which  was  the  real  mother, 
and,  taking  the  knife  in  one  hand  and  the  baby  in  the 
other,  he  said,  '  Now  I  will  cut  the  baby  in  two." 

"  Oh!   Oh!  What  a  awful  man  he  was." 

"Well,  one  woman  screamed,  and  said,  'Oh! 
do  n't  harm  the  baby,  let  the  other  woman  have  it, 
rather  than  to  have  it  killed.'  But  the  other  woman 
never  cried  or  said  a  single  word  against  his  cutting 
it  in  two.  So  the  king  gave  it  to  the  woman  that  cried, 
because  he  then  knew  that  she  was  the  real  mother, 
and  loved  the  baby ;  and  she  went  home  very  glad." 

"Wasn't  he  good,  Freddie.  What  did  you  say 
he  was  ?  " 

"  A  king,  a  great  monarch." 

And  Carlos  cried  : 

"  Would  n't  he  make  a  splendid  constable.'1'' 

The  dinner  was  over,  the  party  was  breaking  up. 

G* 


138  MAPLE   RANGE/ 

Mrs.  Porter  had  refused  Ben  Palmer's  invitation 
to  a  seat  in  his  wagon,  on  account  of  her  fear  of  his 
"  skittish  horses,"  preferring  the  more  slow  but  sure 
locomotion  of  oxen.  She  had  with  some  difficulty, 
been  boosted,  and  shoved,  and  pulled  into  the  hind 
end  of  the  wagon,  when  Mr.  Cross  had  called  out, 
"all  aboard."  Her  width  secured  to  her  the  entire 
seat,  which  was  nothing  but  a  board,  held  in  its  place 
across  the  wagon  box  by  the  stakes  in  front  and  her 
immense  weight,  which  forbade  the  possibility  of  its 
moving  either  forward  or  back.  Her  loading  was 
always  a  ceremonious  affair,  calling  for  general  assist 
ance  and  eliciting  humorous  remarks,  which  latter  she 
was  too  deaf,  and  her  husband  too  busy,  to  hear;  but 
there  was  universal  satisfaction  when  once  it  was  ac 
complished,  and  she  finally  settled  into  position.  Sit 
ting  there  alone  awaiting  the  other  passengers,  who 
were  striving  bravely  to  get  in  the  last  word,  she 
looked  not  unlike  "  Patience  on  the  monument,"  ex 
cepting  that  she  seldom  smiled  at  grief.  Like  nearly 
all  deaf  people  she  labored  under  the  delusion  that 
other  people,  too,  were  "hard  o'  liearin1,"  and  her 
voice  was  always  pitched  above  the  ordinary  tone. 
Her  husband  stood  by  the  wagon.  Bending  over 
towards  him,  she  made  a  simple  request,  but  in  a  tone 
of  voice,  such  as  an  irate  sea  captain  would  employ  in 
a  gale,  shouting: 

"Hizabee  Porter,  git  my  knittin' bag  from  that 
stump,  and  reach  it  here." 

That  scream  was  too  much  for  Spark  and  Bally, 
to  whose  honesty  and  steadiness  there  were  some 
bounds.  They  started  like  frightened  deer  out  into 


THE  LOVER'S  STRATEGY.  139 

the  pathless  wood.  The  fleshy  old  lady  keeled  over 
at  the  first  jump  they  made,  falling  backward  like  a 
pillow,  and  where  her  comfortable  form  had  been  a 
moment  before,  nothing  was  now  visible  but  her  two 
slippered  feet  and  ankles,  encased  in  striped  crimson 
and  white  hose.  There  was  very  little  taper  to  her 
ankles,  yet  they  reminded  one  of  barbers'  poles,  as 
they  helplessly  whipped  the  edge  of  the  seat  or 
swayed  right  and  left  as  the  wagon  bounced  on  over 
logs,  and  dashed  against  stumps  in  the  wake  of  the 
demoralized  oxen. 

Men  followed,  shouting  the  customary  command 
of  "whoa  !  whoa  !  "  as  unavailingly  as  if  they  mere 
ly  added  to  the  excitement  of  the  chase. 

Fortunately  the  animals  soon  undertook  to  pass  a 
tree  on  either  side,  and  were  brought  to  a  sudden 
standstill  by  the  yoke.  All  out  of  breath  with  fright 
and  rapid  running,  Mr.  Porter,  first  to  reach  the 
vehicle,  climbed  in  and  removed  the  seat,  so  as  to  let 
the  two  helpless  feet  down  on  a  level  with  the  rest 
of  the  old  lady's  body.  He  raised  her  up  with  the 
assistance  of  the  others,  who  now  arrived,  and  affec 
tionately  inquired  as  to  her  hurts,  expecting  a 
harrowing  recital,  but  instead  was  met  with  the  ques 
tion  : 

"  Did  you  git  my  knittin'  work  ?  " 

"  No,  mother.  I  did  n't  suppose  you  would  want 
it  right  away.  I  thought  you  had  got  started  after 
the  "Boss.'" 

A  loud  hurrah  had  gone  up  when  it  was  found  she 
was  unhurt,  and  the  welkin  rang  again  with  laughter 
and  merriment.  She  was  brought  back  to  the  road 


140  MAPLE    RANGE. 

where  the  rest  of  the  company  waited  to  congratulate 
her  and  exchange  comments  upon  her  peculiar  and 
oft-recurring  misfortunes.  There  was  no  accounting 
for  the  seeming  contradiction,  but  the  settlers  univer 
sally  liked  the  old  lady,  pitied  her,  and  yet  "  ever.- 
lastingly  made  fun  of  her." 

This  was  the  memorable  month  of  April,  1861, 
memorable  for  the  commencement  of  the  war  under 
taken  to  conquer  the  great  conspiracy  of  this  century, 
perhaps  the  greatest  known  to  the  world  ;  and  in  the 
history  of  revolution,  famous  not  only  for  the  grand 
eur  of  its  conception,  but  for  the  audacity  and  bold- 
ness  of  the  measures  adopted  for  its  execution.  The 
conspirators  had  maneuvered  to  fill  all  the  important 
posts  in  the  government,  at  their  leisure  had  stripped 
of  their  available  defenses  all  its  forts  and  arsenals, 
and  when  the  crisis  came,  there  was  a  temporary  pa 
ralysis  because  of  the  discovery. 

Secretary  Floyd  had  treacherously  transmitted 
much  of  the  arms  and  munitions  of  war  to  the  South 
ern  strongholds,  and  then,  placing  them  in  the  hands 
of  the  insurgents,  resigned  his  position,,  uniting  his 
fortunes  with  the  South,  which  now  took  up  the  cry 
of  the  aggrieved,  "Let  us  alone,  Northern  mudsills. 
It  is  cowardly  to  invade  the  rights  of  a  chivalrous  and 
unoifending  people." 

"The  Star  of  the  West,"  a  Northern  war  steamer, 
had  failed  to  communicate  with  the  garrison  that  lay 
beleaguered  on  the  wave,  and  the  thrill  was  felt  even 
in  Maple  Kange  when  the  stars  and  stripes  at  its  mast 
head  were  assailed.  The  retaliating  flash  from  Su in 
ter  enkindled  their  devotion,  warming  the  blood  of 


THE   LOVER'S   STRATEGY.  141 

the  settlers,  who  had  felt  the  warning  of  later  events 
in  that  first  thrill.  They  rose  at  the  flash  to  the 
height  of  inspiration,  which  they  did  not  know  was 
so  universal, —  that  resolve  to  daring  deed,  in  sympa 
thy  with  which  "the  common  pulse  kept  time." 
Throughout  the  land  was  felt  the  jar  when  Sumtcr 
fell,  and  there  awakened  a  patriotism  as  noble  as  that 
of  '76.  Lincoln's  proclamation  reached  the  remotest 
vale  that  had  slumbered  beneath  the  protecting  arm 
and  the  peaceful  banner  of  the  United  States.  Sev 
enty-five  thousand  men  responded.  The  student's 
midnight  lamp  was  extinguished  as  he  buckled  on  the 
sword ;  the  counting-room  was  exchanged  for  the 
camp  ;  the  plow  stood  idle  in  the  furrow  ;  both  plow 
man  and  horse  had  donned  the  trappings  of  Mars,  and 
sought  the  field  where  was  budding,  so  soon  to  burst 
into  crimson,  the  blossom  of  strife.  Down  from  the 
sacred  desk,  even,  came  men  whose  religion  compre 
hended  resistance  to  the  arm  that  dared  to  threaten 
the  dismemberment  of  States. 

Herbert  Gray,  like  others  of  his  profession,  heard 
the  clarion  call,  u  To  arms  !  "  It  meant  him  as  truly 
as  though  he  had  been  called  by  name.  His  mother 
country  had  need  of  his  young  arm.  She  had  nour 
ished  him,  and  like  a  grateful  child  he  would  defend 
her.  Not  only  would  he  dedicate  his  person,  his  for 
tune  and  his  sword  to  her,  but  all  his  influence  and 
talents  were  thrown  into  the  cause.  His  sister  and 
her  husband  accompanied  him  home  to  Ohio,  where, 
after  enlisting  in  a  regiment  then  forming,  and  receiv 
ing  the  commission  of  captain,  Herbert  had  turned 
his  persuasive  talents  in  the  same  channel,  and  his 


142  MAPLE   RANGE. 

brother-in-law,  with  his  sister's  consent  and  encourage 
ment,  was  the  recipient  of  a  lieutenant's  badge. 
George  Langmere,  an  acquaintance  from  Blakely, 
who  chanced  to  be  in  Sandusky  on  business,  was  per 
suaded  also  to  volunteer,  and  was  gratified  with  the 
position  of  first  sergeant  in  the  same  company.  After 
a  few  weeks  of  drill,  they  were  all  three  permitted  to 
return  to  Minnesota  to  make  final  preparations  to 
leave  with  their  regiment,  then  awaiting  orders.  Mrs. 
Ellis  returned  home  with  them. 

There  had,  in  their  absence,  been  industrious  re 
cruiting,  in  which  Robert  Maynard  had  taken  an 
active  part,  until  stricken  down  by  a  fever  which  left 
him  near  the  threshold  of  Eternity.  The  lingering 
sickness  that  followed  prevented  his  joining  the  army 
that  Summer.  In  accordance  with  his  ardent  desire, 
David  Sears  took  his  place  in  the  ranks,  with  many 
more  of  our  friends  at  Maple  Range  and  Clipnockum. 
Just  before  the  return  from  Ohio  of  the  three  who 
had,  without  intending  it,  "deserted  their  country" 
and  joined  an  Ohio  regiment,  there  had  occurred  one 
of  those  unpleasant  circumstances  that  serve  to 
shadow  a  whole  neighborhood  in  gloom.  A  new  flag 
had  been  procured  for  the  school-house  in  the  Hollow, 
the  only  public  building  excepting  the  church,  and 
where  all  the  war  meetings  were  held.  The  staff  was 
already  awaiting  it.  One  evening,  just  as  the  sun 
was  setting,  and  its  shadows  were  gathering  over  the 
valley,  they  assembled  to  raise  the  flag.  A  lonely 
whippoorwill  was  piping  his  sad  lay.  Mr.  Center,  as 
usual  at  all  war  gatherings,  put  in  an  appearance  that 
night,  and  as  usual  had  disagreeable  things  to  say. 


THE   LOVER'S   STRATEGY.  143 

He  had  openly  avowed  his  sympathy  with  the  foe  his 
neighbors  were  going  out  to  meet ;  had  served  that 
foe  by  placing  every  possible  obstruction  in  the  way 
of  enlistment ;  yet,  because  he  was  a  neighbor,  and 
more  especially  because  his  wife  was  respected  and 
beloved  by  them,  he  had  met  only  silent  reproof. 
Often  unrebuked,  he  had  declared  the  Southern  rebel 
lion  a  righteous  one  ;  had  mocked  their  enthusiasm, 
whenever  they  had  given  to  it  patriotic  expression. 
Now,  when  the  beloved  banner  slowly  unfurled  amid 
the  cheers,  when  manly  eyes  were  wet  with  manly 
tears,  and  sobs  were  stifled  in  manly  breasts,  Charles 
Center  stood  unmoved,  and  with  folded  arms  and 
scornful  lip  watched  their  emotion.  When  they 
cheered  he  groaned  ;  three  times  through  the  twilight 
the  cheering  rang  ;  three  times  the  miserable  groan 
that  followed  exasperated  them,  till  at  length  all  eyes 
turned  upon  him,  as  Gus  Harkness  asked, 

"Are  you  sick,  Mr.  Center?" 

"Yes.  It's  enough  to  make  any  man  sick,  to 
see  folks  make  such  fools  of  themselves  over  a  con 
temptible  dish-rag,  that  in  two  months  will  have  no 
meaning  under  the  sun,  save  as  it  is  associated  with 
ignominy  and  defeat.  The  very  men  denounced  as 
rebels  in  some  of  your  spread  eagle  harangues,  will 
bring  it  from  the  clouds  and  trample  it  in  the  dust — 
and  for  my  part,  I  say  most  earnestly,  God  speed  the 
hour." 

"There,  that  will  do,  Center,"  said  Gus,  "you 
have  made  the  last  speech  on  that  platform  that  will 
go  down  with  this  crowd.  We  have  borne  that  kind 
of  talk  a  good  while,  not  because  we  liked  you^  mind 


144  MAPLE   EANGE. 

yon,  but  because  we  respected  your  wife,  and  hoped 
that  for  her  sake,  if  not  for  inborn  principle,  you 
would  desist.  There  are  times  when  forbearance 
ceases  to  be  a  virtue.  While  you  confined  your  in 
sults  to  us,  we  did  not  molest  you.  But,  sir,  you 
can  not  insult  that  flag,"  lifting  his  eyes  and  pointing 
upward,  "without  rendering  an  account  to  us,  who 
have  sworn  solemnly  to  defend  it  from  insult." 

"  Tfiatfs  so,"  said  a  heavy  voice  in  the  crowd,  "we 
all  think  well  o'  yer  woman,  an'  becos  ye  know  it,  ye 
think  ye  can  say  what  ye  like  safe  enough  ;  an'  ye  've 
jest  be'n  yowpin'  treason  an'  sech  all  the  Spring, 
right  under  our  very  noses.  Naow  ye  say  ye  're 
s-i-c-k — an'  ye  have  only  to  tell  us  yer  symptoms, 
while  a  few  on  us  feel  yer  pulse — we  're  reckoned 
very  skillful  in  the  cold  water  treatment." 

' '  Yaas,  an'  we  '11  larn  ye  a  new  ditty,  'kase  we 
think  'tain't  healthy  for  ye  to  harp  on  one  eternal 
string,  an'  the  new  music  ye  can  dance  tew." 

"Now  you  must  promise  to  shet  pate,  Center," 
called  another  voice,  "or  ye '11  have  a  blarsted  fuss, 
that  belike  will  end  in  introducin'  ye  to  the  buz 
zards.  " 

"Yis,  indade,  Ave'll  sind  ye  a  throttin'  on  a  long 
road  that's  got  no  turns,  nor  guide  board,  be  jabers," 
cried  another. 

"And  knock  all  the  steam  out  o'  yer  locomotive, 
to  boot,"  yelled  still  another. 

' '  You  'd  better  commence  pretty  soon  ;  you  are 
spinning  out  a  pretty  long  programme  ;  the  audience 
will  be  tired  before  the  curtain  rises,"  said  Center. 


THE   LOVER'S   STRATEGY.  145 

"  We  are  going  to  give  you  time,  to  frame  that 
promise,  not  to  spout  treason  any  more." 

"  You  needn't  wait.  1  shall  never  make  promises 
to  men,  scoundrels  rather,  only  fit,  it  seems,  to  mur 
der  the  queen's  English." 

"  You  must  be  careful  of  your  nicknames,  Center; 
we  are  not  scoundrels,  but  we  intend  to  have  your  pro 
mise,  in  less  than  twenty  minutes,  never  to  open  your 
head  in  favor  of  secession  again,"  said  Dave  Persons. 

"Sorry  to  disappoint  men  when  they  set  their  hearts 
on  anything.  Desperate  times  these,  when  miserable 
vagabonds,  who  never  saw  the  inside  of  a  spelling- 
book,  talk  of  extorting  promises  from  free,  intelligent 
citizens.  It's  a  God-forsaken  cause  that  employs 
such  agents  and  resorts  to  such  measures.  But  now, 
see  here,  I  shall  express  my  sentiments,  and  no  thanks 
to  anybody  in  this  crowd.  The  rebellion,  I  say,  is 
just.  The  South  is  disgusted  with  a  union  that  brings 
them  into  contact  with  just  such  men,  aye  knaves,  as 
you  are. 

"Not  a  word  more,  sir,"  said  Dave  Persons,  step 
ping  up,  but  uncle  Carce  drew  him  back. 

"  Do  n't  forget  that  you  are  a  man,  Dave  ;  these 
proceedings  are  disgraceful,"  said  he,  "and  not  in 
accordance  with  law,  peace  or  good  neighborhood." 

"  Do  n't  talk  of  law,  Mr.  Smith,"  said  Center,  "to 
men  who  assisted  in  hanging  two  helpless  beings  on 
yonder  tree  "  (Dave  was  not  present  when  the  Indians 
were  hung),  "nor  of  peace  to  men  who  have  just 
enlisted  in  the  wickedest  war  the  world  shall  ever 
know." 

"We  intend  to  finish  your  treason  first,  an'  ef  ye 
K  7 


146  MAPLE   RANGE. 

don't  shet  yer  mouth,  what 's  left  of  you,  won't  make 
much  of  a  grease  spot,  Center,"  said  a  voice  ;  while 
uncle  Carce  drew  Mr.  Center  back  a  little  from  the 
crowd,  and  tried  to  persuade  him  to  retire  with  him 
at  once. 

"  For  your  own  sake  and  that  of  your  wife,  and 
for  ours,  who  are  ready  to  assist  you,  and  yet  may 
not  have  the  power  soon,  come.  Do  you  not  con 
sider  the  danger  you  incur,  in  thus  exasperating  men 
whose  blood  is  already  up  ?  A  remote  insult  to  that 
flag  is  about  to  take  them  from  home  and  all  they 
hold  dear— to  exposure,  danger,  and  very  likely  to 
death.  Let  me  entreat  of  you  to  withdraw  now, 
without  further  allusion  to  your  sentiments." 

"No  use  coaxing  me,  uncle  Carce,  my  rights  here 
are  just  as  good  as  any  other  man's,  and  I  shall  say 

what  I  d n  please,  if  every  red-mouthed  cur  in  the 

settlement  snarls." 

Raising  his  voice,  he  continued  : 

"I  say  once  again,  what  I  have  said  many  times, 
that  it  is  an  unholy  harvest  of  blood  that  you  are 
going  to  gather,  the  fruit  of  years  of  Northern 
tyranny  and  Northern  oppression.  A  quiet,  noble, 
high-minded  people  desire  to  be  left  unmolested  in 
the  possession  of  their  God-given  rights,  and  when 
their  prayer  is  denied,  they  wish  to  retire,  to  withdraw 
themselves,  their  property, and  their  State;  and  ye,  such 
as  ye,  protest,  and  prepare  to  swoop  down  upon,  and 
lay  waste  their  sunny  land.  You  have  recruited  your 
impious  horde  from  the  very  dens  of  pollution. 
Under  that  very  rag,"  pointing  scornfully  to  the  ban 
ner,  "will  march  the  vile  spawn  of  Satan  !  " 


THE    LOVER'S    STRATEGY.  147 

"There  now,"  said  uncle  Carce,  in  a  trembling 
undertone,  "  I  am  afraid  he  has  hit  the  buck  in  the 
eye,  and  you  can't  mad  the  animal  more." 

Rough,  strong  hands  were  laid  upon  Center,  Avhile 
the  excitement  grew  intense.  Old  men  were  tugging 
at  the  coat-skirts  of  young  men,  begging  them  to 
desist  from  violence,  while  voices  mewed  like  cats, 
barked  like  dogs,  crowed  like  a  cock,  and  made  noises 
like  the  flapping  of  wings.  Curses  and  threats 
mingled  with  piteous  pleadings. 

A  tremendous  bully,  who  maintained  a  safe  dis 
tance,  was  vociferating,  "Pitch  in  to  him,  boys,  give 
him !" 

During  a  lull,  Center  was  heard  to  say  :  "I  reck 
oned  without  my  host,  in  expecting  civility  from  my 
own  neighbors,  and  my  wife's  friends." 

"  O  you  can  't  come  any  of  your  civility  dodges — 
we  don't  swaller  insults  in  this  neighborhood  any 
longer  ;  caliker  won't  save  ye  now. " 

"No,  old  cock  !  Ye  can't  cackle  that  chune  any 
longer  on  this  roost." 

' '  No  thin'  b-b-b-bnt  a  clean  j-j-j-jacket  will  save 
C-c-c-center !  " 

Gus  Harkness  caught  him  by  one  arm,  while  Dave 
Persons  took  the  other,  saying  : 

"We  want  that  promise  now,  Center!  or  by  the 
great  Jehovah,  Ave  will  chuck  ye  into  the  Waubece 
quicker  'n  ye  can  spit  !  " 

Away  they  started  down  the  steep  bank,  dragging 
their  victim  despite  his  desperate  struggles,  despite 
the  cries  of  "Hold,  boys,  for  heaven's  sake,"  "Stop, 
boys,  stop,"  and  the  like  useless  counsel ;  for  a  crowd, 


148  MAPLE   RANGE. 

on  the  double-quick  down  an  incline,  is  in  truth  beyond 
recall,  and  irresistible.  In  less  time  than  I  am  relat 
ing,  they  had  reached  the  water  and  plunged  Center 
in,  while  some  voice  on  the  bank,  in  solemn,  camp- 
meeting  tones,  lined  a  hymn  : 


sing ! " 


"  '  Plunged  in  a  gulf  of  dark  despair,' 


In  slow  measure  the  crowd  obeyed,  after  which 
the  pale,  shivering  man  was  drawn  up  and  given  time 
to  breathe.  His  promise  being  demanded  and  refused, 
he  was  again  plunged  in,  while  the  same  voice  lined 
the  same  measure  : 


sing  !  " 


"  '  A  wretched  traitor  lies  ; ' 


The  slow,  solemn  meter  rolled  out  over  the  water, 
and  again  Center  was  drawn  out ;  again,  after  breath 
ing  pace,  interrogated,  and  upon  giving  a  firm  "No," 
he  was  again  sent  struggling  into  the  water. 


sing ! " 


"  '  His  clothes  seem  very  damp  to  wear,' 


As  they  drew  Center  out  again,  another  line  was 
added  with  exaggerated  bass  : 

"  '  He  '11  change  them  if  he  'a  wise.'  " 

"Now,  Mr.  Center,"  said  Dave  Persons,  "we 
have  drawn  you  out  the  third  time  and  the  last,  for 
as  sure  as  there  is  a  hereafter  we  will  neither  draw 
you  out  nor  permit  you  to  be  drawn  out  again.  You 
shall  promise  now,  never  to  open  your  mouth  in  the 
interest  of  traitors  again,  or — die  !  " 

"I  promise  you  !  "  said  he,  who  knew  what  man 


THE   LOVER'S    STRATEGY.  149 

he  dealt  with,  and  that  he  stood  on  the  last  plank 
offered  him. 

He  was  instantly  released,  and,  climbing  the 
bank,  disappeared  in  the  darkness  ere  the  sounds  of 
exultation  had  died  away  on  bluff  and  in  forest  recess, 
whence  they  had  been  echoed  and  re-echoed  as  they 
rolled  up  from  the  crowd  on  the  banks  of  the  winding 
Waubece. 

Mr.  Center  reached  home  to  find  his  wife  absent, 
she  having  accepted  Nellie  Maynard's  invitation  to 
spend  the  night  at  The  Maples,  leaving  a  note  of  ex 
planation,  containing  a  promise  of  return  to-morrow, 
upon  the  table.  But  oh  !  ere  to-morrow  he  was  far 
from  her  in  person,  and  farther  still  in  criminal 
designs,  having  left  behind  a  detailed  account  of  his 
humiliating  treatment,  glossing  over  his  own  conduct 
so  as  to  make  the  abuse,  seem  undeserved. 

"I  leave  you  and  my  child,"  he  wrote,  "because 
I  am  a  man  too  independent  to  submit  to  ignoble 
terms.  I  will  send  you  money  as  soon  as  I  can  raise 
it,  that  you  may  go  to  Chicago  to  your  father,  if  it  is 
your  wish  to  leave  these  people  who  have  laid  an 
indebtedness  upon  me  which  I  will  not  fail  to  pay." 

The  wife  returning  next  day  found  this  beside  her 
own  note,  caught  it  up,  read  it  swiftly  and  fell  to  the 
floor  insensible.  Nellie  who  accompanied  her,  ignorant 
of  the  terrible  transactions  in  the  Hollow,  sprang  to 
her  and  tried,  with  the  aid  of  cold  water,  to  restore 
her  to  consciousness,  but  in  vain. 

Sometimes,  when  otherwise  the  heart  would 
break,  it  is  preserved  from  the  full  pressure  of  its 
misery  by  those  kind  opiates  of  nature,  insensibility 


150  MAPLE    RANGE. 

and  disease.  Days  of  prostration  and  delirium  merci 
fully  ward  off  the  crushing  weight  of  despair. 

Miannetta,  on  hearing  of  the  events  of  the  night 
and  guessing  the  unhappiness  of  Mrs.  Center  when 
she  should  know  all,  had  hastened  to  her  aid  ;  and 
most  opportune  was  her  arrival. 

Mrs.  Center  was  still  upon  the  floor,  a  pillow 
beneath  her  head,  and  Nellie,  whose  strength  was  not 
sufficient  to  place  her  upon  the  bed,  was  making  every 
effort  to  restore  her. 

With  Miannetta's  help,  she  was  raised  and  placed 
upon  a  couch  where  for  many  weeks  she  remained, 
stricken  by  a  fearful  fever.  Kind-hearted  neighbors 
gathered  round  her  with  a  sympathy  that  was  more 
than  sympathy — a  sorrow  mingled  with  reproach  to 
their  own  flesh  and  blood,  whose  unrestrained  passion 
was  thought  to  have  caused  the  suffering  of  this 
fragile  woman.  All  that  love  and  kindness  could 
prompt  was  done  for  her. 

Once,  just  as  the  day  was  dawning  upon  the  earth 
now  clad  in  its  mantle  of  green,  she  opened  her  eyes 
—in  them  no  glare  or  wildness  ;  in  her  speech  no 
sharpness  or  incoherence.  Looking  into  the  face  of 
Mrs.  Maynard  who  was  holding  her  wasted  hand,  in 
a  voice  so  faint,  and  yet  so  sweet  as  to  bring  tears 
to  the  eyes  of  the  faithful  watcher,  she  said  : 

"I  will  wait  patiently,  praying  God  in  his  own 
time  to  bring  light  out  of  this  darkness,  order  out  of 
this  confusion." 


MARTIAL   STRAINS.  151 


CHAPTER  V. 

MARTIAL     STRAINS. 

the  wing  of  an  eagle  is  not  so  gentle  as  the 
-"-  pinion  of  a  dove,  was  in  a  measure  realized  by  the 
volunteers  as  soon  as  they  were  sworn  into  service,  and 
were  henceforth  subject  to  another  will  than  their  own. 
They  began  to  think  how  delightful  was  the  old  free 
life  ;  how  hard  to  break  the  chains  of  habit.  It  was 
sweet  to  think  of  being  one's  own  master  after  all,  if 
it  was  in  the  backwoods  ;  to  plan  out  one's  own  work  ; 
rise  early  or  sleep  late  as  the  mood  came  on.  To 
plow,  plant,  or  hunt ;  or,  better  still,  when  indolence 
favored  the  occupation,  to  loaf  at  Watkins'  store, 
where  all  was  spick  and  span  new,  shiny  and  fragrant ; 
where  some  of  the  pretty  girls  were  almost  sure  to 
drop  in,  mayhap  the  very  one  loved  best  in  all  the 
world,  mischievously  inquiring  for  odd  wares,  such  as 
"extract  of  pocket-handkerchief,"  " aggregate  but 
tons  "  and  the  like.  Then  the  walks  home  with  the  saucy 
little  minxes,  through  the  bird-blessed  woods,  while 
down  deep  in  each  breast  a  rhythmic  measure  was  beat 
ing  in  unison.  O  those  loves  unspoken,  those  loves 
avowed,  those  loves  already  ratified  by  heaven  !  how 
sweetly  now  they  drew  their  tendrils  round  the  heart ; 
how  hard  to  wrench  from  their  fastenings,  and  hie 
away — to  what  ?  The  question  checked  the  breath, 


152  MAPLE    RANGE. 

and  manly  dignity  was  often  summoned  to  arrest  the 
coming  tear. 

Perhaps,  of  all  the  sad  hearts,  none  was  heavier 
than  that  which  beat  under  the  vest  of  Gus  Harkness, 
for  a  true  lover  is  not  cured  of  love  by  the  possession 
of  its  object.  The  difficulties  of  his  wooing  had  in 
creased  the  importance  of  his  winning.  Though  he 
had  been  bluffed,  cajoled  and  tyrannized  over  to  the 
end  of  the  chapter,  yet  the  chapter  had  ended  in  his 
being  loved,  and  the  very  traits  which  some  would 
have  deemed  unpardonable  faults  were  charms  dwelt 
upon  and  recalled  again  and  again  with  delight. 
Every  peculiarity  of  'Lizbeth's,  no  matter  how  hard 
to  endure  at  first,  now  increased  her  value,  and  he 
declared  he  should  always  admire  a  downright  wicked 
coquet  more  than  any  other  woman.  Often  a  mother 
who  dotes  upon  her  deformed  child,  does  it  the  more 
because  of  that  which  to  others  is  repulsive. 
Just  so  Gus  loved  'Lizbeth  for  traits  which  had 
caused  him  much  pain,  and  which  others  deemed  rep 
rehensible.  Now  he  must  leave  her  and  the  love  she 
so  freely  gave  him.  He  must  leave  'Lizbeth  at  her 
father's,  and  the  little  home  in  the  valley,  where  were 
rose  and  vine  and  song,  must  be  closed  and  silent, 
how  long  or  if  forever,  God  {done  knew.  Mrs.  Cross 
gave  him  much  good^advice  and  many  cautions  against 
exposing  himself  to  night  air  lest  he  should  contract 
"malarian  fever;"  against  sleeping  on  hard  straw 
beds  in  ' '  open  housen  with  the  chinks  all  knocked 
out ;  "  against  "  eatin'  unhullsom  and  irregler  meals," 
which  advice  often  recurred  to  him  as  he  lay  on  his 
blanket  beneath  the  stars  or  less  merciful  clouds,  on 


MARTIAL   STRAINS.  153 

an  unfenced  field,  having  fallen  there,  too  weary  to 
prepare  the  meal  of  hardtack  and  coffee. 

The  dreaded  morning  came  all  too  soon,  and  the 
line  of  march,  augmented  at  each  house,  moved 
through  the  woods  to  the  inspiring  strains  of  martial 
music,  till  it  reached  the  last  house,  that  of  Jehial 
Smith,  where  the  scene  became  agonizing  to  witness; 
Mothers  wrung  their  hands  and  wept,  while  fathers' 
farewells  were  choked  by  emotion  ;  wives  clung  fran 
tically  to  necks  of  agitated  husbands  ;  maidens  coyly 
hid  their  tear-stained  faces,  while  little  ones  begged 
their  fathers  not  to  leave  them. 

"  Fall  in  !  "  Hands  loosed  their  clasping  as  the 
order  was  obeyed,  while  mothers,  wives  and  maidens 
knelt  beside  the  way. 

"Forward,  march!"  With  one  mighty  voice 
rose  the  thrice-repeated  hurrah,  and  with  it  from  the 
kneeling,  sorrowing  ones,  mingled  the  wailing  "  God 
bless  yous"  and  "good  byes." 

Capt.  Herbert  Gray  and  Mr.  Ellis  went  with  this 
company  when  it  joined  the  regiment,  thence  contin 
uing  their  journey  to  join  their  own,  which  received 
marching  orders  at  the  same  time. 

"  I  thought  I  had  nothing  to  be  thankful  for,"  said 
Mr.  Ellis  to  Herbert;  "but  indeed  I  am  thankful 
that  my  Kitty  is  not  here  with  these.  I  am  sure  I 
could  not  bear  it  if  she  knelt  there  crying  so  pitifully 
as  many  of  these  women  do,  who  can  not  realize 
the  hardship  they  impose  upon  those  who  must  march 
away,  poor  fellows.  God  pity  and  help  them — ay, 
as  Tiny  Tim  would  say,  '  God  help  us  every  one  ! ' 

As  there  is  a  gladness  too  intense  for  laughter,  so 


154:  MAPLE   EANGE. 

there  is  a  sadness  too  deep  for  tears.  The  latter  Mr. 
Ellis  had  felt.  While  life  should  last,  his  memory  a 
certain  picture  would  retain — himself  led  away  by 
Herbert's  friendly  arm  ;  a  sweet  woman,  tearless,  but 
white  as  though  touched  by  the  hand  of  death,  although 
illness  had  never  robbed  her  of  her  bloom,  standing 
in  the  door  of  his  home  ;  a  little  child  smiles  his  tare- 
well  with  graceful  gesture,  shouting  "  bye-bye  "  from 
the  step  at  her  feet,  while  by  the  open  gate,  prostrate 
in  grief,  lies  a  beautiful  boy,  crying, 

"Kiss  your  Herbie  again,  papa." 

Will  he  kiss  him  again  ?  Does  the  sky  at  which 
the  father  appealingly  gazes  in  his  agony  hang  out 
among  its  fleecy  clouds  a  signal  of  promise  ? 

The  company  marched  to  the  rendezvous  of  the 
regiment,  and  with  arduous  drill  wore  away  the  long 
Spring  days,  till  their  complement  was  full  and 
marching  orders  came.  Embarking  upon  a  Missis 
sippi  packet,  behold  them  gliding  swiftly  down  the 
river,  away  from  the  homes  they  have  builded  and 
can  not  defend,  from  all  whom  they  love  and  cherish. 
Troops  were  now  rapidly  massing  upon  the  Potomac 
from  North,  East  and  West,  all  inspired  with  untried 
valor,  and,  to  a  great  extent,  with  contempt  of  the 
foe  they  came  out  to  look  at  and  conquer  ! 

There  was  yet  little  bloodshed,  no  warrant  for  the 
carnage  that  followed  and  the  scenes  so  fearful  that 

o 

even  Europe,  from  her  thousand  battle-fields,  looked 
amazed  across  the  waves  upon  the  conflict  of  brothers. 
There  was  so  much  to  be  hoped  from  the  old  method 
of  suasion,  that  the  better-disposed  on  both  sides  still 
had  recourse  to  argument,  each  giving  the  other  time 


MARTIAL   STRAINS.  155 

to  reflect  before  using  the  weapons  they  grasped.  So 
the  great  belligerents  stood,  each  with  a  half-defined 
hope  that  reason  or  concession  might  arrest  the  car 
nival  of  blood,  yet  both  preparing  for  that  dire  ex 
tremity. 

Our  Minnesota  regiment  is  still  on  its  way  to  Vir 
ginia.  Leaving  the  river,  it  is  drawn  by  the  fiery 
iron  steed,  linked  to  the  huge  train,  now  the  charger 
and  chariot  of  war,  following  through  the  hills  and 
valleys  the  winding  and  curving  of  the  glinting  iron 
track.  Still  on  they  dash,  across  the  prairies  of  Illi 
nois,  through  that  farming  country  which  challenges 
and  the  world,  through  the  peach-orchards  of  Michigan, 
on  through  the  beautiful  gardens,  past  the  fruit  trees 
and  rich  fields  of  Ohio.  From  city,  town  and  hamlet ; 
from  wood  -  station,  field  and  farm-house,  arise  the 
cheers  of  an  excited  populace,  as  though  seeking  a 
vent  for  their  enthusiasm.  Even  the  solitary  tramp 
by  the  wayside  greets  them  with  the  same  noisy 
demonstration.  Women  and  children  fling  flowers, 
trinkets  and  handkerchiefs  to  the  astonished  volun 
teers,  and  ladies,  gently  born  and  tenderly  reared, 
wait  for  the  train  that  they  may  look  upon  and  en 
courage  the  "Nation's  hope,  the  boys  in  blue. "  Every 
where  the  air  is  ringing  with  sturdy  yeomen's  shouts  ; 
elegantly-worded  "  God-speeds,''  from  gentlemen  with 
uncovered  heads  and  moist  eyes ;  sweet  words  from 
women  who  throw  spring  garlands  on  the  iron  track, 
hang  them  upon  the  locomotive,  or  cast  them  dexter 
ously  into  car  windows,  to  be  eagerly  appropriated. 

At  one  little  village,  as  the  train  moved  slowly  up 
to  the  platform,  it  was  greeted  by  a  band  of  seminary 


156  MAPLE   RANGE. 

girls,  laden  with  flowers,  choice  and  fresh  as  their  own 
beauty.  Each  car  window  framed  a  living  picture  of 
at  least  two  faces  ;  and  where  humanity  was  more 
densely  packed,  in  some  instances  a  half  dozen  crowded 
down  to  the  small  out-look.  One  only  of  these  win 
dows  now  concerns  us.  There  are  two  heads ;  the 
first,  Herbert  Gray's — his  high,  intellectual  forehead 
crowned  with  wavy,  raven  hair  ;  brows  finely  arched, 
and  the  large  eyes  matching  the  hair  in  color  ;  a  sol 
dierly,  black  moustache,  shadowing  but  not  conceal 
ing  the  lips  now  slightly  parted  in  a  smile  at  some 
gay  remark  of  his  companion,  George  Langmere. 
His  head  has  a  covering,  coarse,  wiry,  and  so  in 
tensely  red  that  each  hair  seems  to  glow  with  its 
own  blaze.  Small  eyes  shine  out  from  beneath 
jutting  sandy  brows,  and  great  freckles  spread  over 
the  spare,  bony  cheeks  and  pug  nose,  even  to  the 
chin,  innocent  of  beard.  Merriment,  irresistible,  but 
coarse,  is  stamped  on  every  feature  of  the  face.  He 
noticed  the  figure  of  a  beautiful  girl,  remarking  not 
too  delicately  upon  its  outlines,  when  she  turned  and 
advanced  toward  them,  grace  in  her  every  movement, 
dignity  on  her  brow. 

' '  Look  there,  Herbert !  Our  window  takes,  you 
perceive.  It  draws,  by  Jove  !  " 

"Medusa's  charm,  possibly,"  was  the  low,  un 
heeded  rejoinder. 

The  young  lady  stood  now  just  beneath  the  win 
dow,  her  eloquent  blue  eyes  resting  upon  the  face 
of  Herbert,  her  musical  voice  floating  up  to  his  ears 
as  she  spoke  words  designed  to  inspire  courage,  and 
expressed  the  hope  "that  these  dark  days  and  heavy 


MARTIAL   STRAINS.  157 

skies  would  burst  at  noon  into  radiant  light ;  that  soon 
might  return  these  brave  men,  now  moving  on  to 
danger  —  to  death,  perhaps,  for  your  country  and 
mine,"  she  added,  and  held  up  to  him,  earnestly  beg 
ging  his  acceptance,  a  delicate  bouquet. 

"If  ever  in  suffering  or  want  through  the  cruelty 
of  war,  as  you  would  those  of  a  sister,  command  the 
services  of  her  whose  name  and  address  accompany 
these  flowers." 

She  saw  not  the  face  of  George  Langmere,  nor 
that  it  was  his  hand  took  the  flowers — so  intent  was 
she  addressing  Herbert  Gray,  whose  absorption 
equaled  her  own.  The  last  glance,  as  the  train  moved 
on,  was  each  for  the  other  a  wordless  prayer.  Her 
"  God  protect  you  "  seemed  to  him  an  angel  whisper, 
and  he  buried  his  face  in  his  hands  to  hush  the  cry  of 
his  soul  against  a  fate  that  bore  him  from  that  sweet 
other  self.  There  fluttered  from  the  window  a  card, 
which  she  supposed  dropped  from  his  hand.  Eagerly 
seizing  it,  while  the  rich  carmine  mantled  on  either 
cheek,  she  read : 

SERGEANT  GEORGE  LANGMERE, 

Regiment,  Ohio  Volunteers. 

That  personage  was  busy  in  discovering  and  con 
cealing  the  slip  of  paper  deftly  hidden  in  the  bouquet, 
whereon  was  delicately  traced  : 

ALICE  MEADE, 

Xenia,  Ohio. 


158  MAPLE   RANGE. 

Some  time  elapsed  before  Herbert  raised  his  head. 
When  he  did,  he  turned  toward  Langmere,  and  reach 
ing  out  his  hand  for  the  bouquet,  said  : 

"Mine." 

"  Oh,  no  !  "  was  the  rejoinder  ;  "  there  is  no  per 
sonal  application  of  these  things.  They  are  but  the 
vehicle  of  a  great  patriotic  idea,  and  this  happened 
to  come  through  lovely  hands  to  us,  boy.  'Tis  ours." 
See  !  The  other  boys  have  divided  bouquets — flowers 
as  sweet — but  by  the  gods,  they  can  not  boast  that 
they  were  given  by  girls  as  beautiful,  or  that  when 
culled  they  were  kissed  by  such  delicious  lips  as — 

"George  Langmere  !  " 

The  tone  was  almost  savage,  the  eyes  aflame,  the 
face  deadly  pale,  as  Herbert  took  the  bouquet  in  his 
own  hand,  saying  : 

"This  can  never  be  a  theme  of  conversation 
between  us." 

And  if  possible,  his  face  grew  paler  when  his 
search  for  the  name  among  the  flowers  was  found  to 
be  in  vain.  He  knew  that  farther  and  farther  he  was 
speeding  from  her,  his  newly  found,  heaven-designed 
bride,  and  he  had  no  clue  even  to  her  name.  He 
again  covered  his  face  and  dwelt  rapturously  upon  the 
strange  event  that  had  changed  forever  the  color  of 
his  day  dreams.  Should  he  ever  look  again  into  those 
eyes  that  had  so  suddenly  claimed  the  tribute  of  his 
love?  Should  he  ever  know  that  name  close  be 
side  his  own  on  the  great  record  above  ?  Although 
he  had  never  pronounced  it,  he  felt  that  its  owner, 
should  he  fall  in  battle,  would  be  surely  widowed. 
The  angel  face,  with  an  appropriate  syllable  of  his 


MARTIAL   STRAINS.  159 

own  fond  coining,  was  then  and  there  enshrined  in  his 
warm,  true  heart.  The  inward  verdict  of  his  fun-lov 
ing,  somewhat  unprincipled  companion-in-arms,  was  : 

"Smitten  and  done  for  by  an  unknown  beauty! 
I  hold  the  key  to  the  mystery,"  was  his  further  reflec 
tion,  "  and  she  has  my  card  (that  was  a  good  one  and 
does  me  credit),  though  she  thinks  it 's  Herbert's. 
It  is  a  rather  taking  name  though,  and  it  shall  win  for 
me  what  my  face  never  would,  an  avowal  from  the 
loveliest  woman  I  ever  saw,  except  the  wife  of  Gus 
Harkness.  She  leads  in  beauty,  to  my  notion.  This 
woman  is  next  though,  and  will  do  ;  must  do — shall 
do  !  " 

The  regiment  sped  on  its  way,  passed  the  crouched 
lions  in  Baltimore,  and  lost  its  individuality  at  Arling 
ton  Heights,  as  in  the  camp  routine  the  soldiers  lost 
their  spirits.  Langmere,  especially,  wearied  of  the 
"All  quiet  on  the  Potomac,"  and  determining  to  try 
the  key  to  adventure,  which  he  believed  he  held,  wrote 
to  Miss  Meade.  He  was  an  accomplished  penman. 
With  a  view  to  some  position  which  proved  a  disap 
pointment,  he  had  once  made  correspondence  a  special 
study.  His  first  letter  was  a  wary,  guarded  note — 
the  cultivated  gentleman  presuming  upon  her  for 
bearance  and  the  permission  to  write,  acknowledging 
her  gift  of  flowers  and  its  inspiration  to  deeds  of 
lofty  import,  begging  her  to  write,  if  she  deemed  the 
stranger  soldier  worthy  of  attention,  adding  : 

"  My  audacity  in  asking  this  favor  perhaps  deserves 
and  will  receive  its  merited  punishment — silence  ;  but 
if  otherwise  fate  shall  favor  me,  I  shall  begin  to  think 


160  MAPLE   RANGE. 

that  even  war  with  all  its  grimness  has  something  for 
which  we  may  be  glad. " 

Alice  Meade,  the  accomplished  daughter  of  a 
worthy  and  patriotic  banker,  in  the  quiet  of  her 
father's  house,  blessed  with  a  brother's  cherishing 
love,  had  little  experience  to  discipline  a  romantic, 
yet  pure-minded  disposition.  Men  were  all  judged 
by  her  father's  and  brother's  standard,  and  they  were 
both  exceptionally  high-minded.  Unsuspicious  of 
man's  duplicity,  except  in  the  general  knowledge  of 
the  world's  sinning. 

When  Alice  read  the  delicately-worded  and  ele 
gantly  written  letter,  signed  with  the  name  she  asso 
ciated  with  the  handsome  open  face  of  Herbert  Gray, 
the  interest  that  face  had  inspired  grew  to  a  warmer 
feeling.  Her  reply  was  immediate,  sincere,  reserved, 
containing  well  expressed  thoughts  pertinent  to  the 
hour,  and  the  vocation  of  him  she  addressed.  One 
after  another,  letters  came  to  her  from  the  same 
source,  very  gems  of  composition,  to  each  of  which 
she  responded,  so  simply,  so  womanly,  that  had  he 
not  been  sold  to  depravity,  George  Langmere  would 
have  felt  their  unintentional  rebuke. 

But  instead  of  remorse,  he  grew  eager  to  look 
deeper  into  her  pure  soul.  Wrote  again  as  a  suitor, 
who  woos  hoping  to  win,  yet  deserving  nothing,  and 
is  prepared  to  die  willingly  in  the  battle-field,  if  his 
suit  is  not  prosperous.  He  declared  it  was  his  only 
desire  to  possess  her  promise  to  be  his  wife,  when 
from  the  war  he  should  come,  as  that  promise  would 
ensure  his  coming,  and  begged  to  exchange  pictures 
with  her,  sending  with  the  letter  Herbert's  photo- 


MARTIAL   STRAINS.  161 

graph.  We,  who  know  her  susceptible  heart,  un 
tutored  in  the  world's  follies,  can  guess  the  reply — 
indeed  know  it.  It  came — the  promise  to  be  his  wife, 
accompanied  by  her  picture — a  beautiful  response, 
and  worthier  a  better  destination.  The  river  of  a 
woman's  noble  thoughts  flowing  sweetly  to  its  ocean. 
O  what  sacrilege  was  that,  when  that  picture  and  that 
sweet  letter,  designed  for  other  and  nobler  eyes,  were 
placed  exultingly  near  the  hollow  heart  of  him  who 
had  dared  to  invoke  them ;  while  day  after  day  he 
shared  the  friendship  of  the  unsuspecting  man  for 
whom  they  were  intended.  He  had  a  vague  plan  in 
his  head.  The  enemy  should  move  on  and  make 
possible,  by  the  concurrence  of  fortunate  circum 
stances,  some  means  by  which  he  would  secure  some 
of  her  wealth,  even  if,  in  so  doing,  he  should  lose 
Miss  Meade.  She,  after  all,  was  to  him  far  the  less 
desirable  acquisition  of  the  two. 

Spring  had  gone  with  little  gain  to  the  great 
cause,  although  the  time  had  been  industriously  em 
ployed  in  drilling  and  equipping  the  army.  Excite 
ment  had  been  intense  all  over  the  North,  as  well  as  in 
camp.  The  "On  to  Richmond1'  cry  promised  at 
last  to  be  a  reality,  and  the  whole  country  held  its 
breath.  In  balmy  summer  time,  just  past  the  noon  of 
night,  orders  were  received  to  pack  knapsacks  and 
prepare  breakfast.  The  whole  army  was  astir  with 
unwonted  excitement. 

Herbert  and  Langmere  were  seated  at  breakfast 
in  the  tent,  before  which  Lieut.  Ellis  was  pacing 
slowly.  His  thoughts  we  can  easily  divine. 

Herbert  scarcely  knew  what  prevented  his  feeling 
L  7* 


162  MAPLE   RANGE. 

cordial  regard  for  Langmere.  He  was  repulsed  by 
the  man's  coarseness  sometimes,  and  if  he  accidentally 
touched  his  hand,  he  recoiled  with  a  shudder,  as  if  he 
had  felt  the  slimy  fin  of  a  monster. 

Suddenly  Langmere  addressed  him  : 

"  Will  you  do  me  a  favor,  Gray  ?  " 

"Certainly;  mention  it." 

"If  1  fall  to-day,  will  you  take  from  my  left 
breast  pocket  a  package,  and  transmit  it  to  the  address 
(a  lady's),  you  will  find  within  it.  I  do  not  wish  it  to 
fall  into  a  stranger's  hands." 

"  You  are  too  gloomy,  Langmere.  I  am  as  likely 
to  fall  as  you." 

' '  O  no,  you  are  not  engaged  to  be  married,  while 
I  am.  It  is  always  your  disengaged  chaps  that  seem 
to  be  bullet  proof,  simply  because  there  seems 
nothing  in  particular  for  them  to  live  for,  I  suppose. 
This  may  explain,  perhaps,  my  desire  to  come  off 
without  any  eyelet  holes  in  my  cuticle. 

So,  lightly  speaking,  he  handed  Alice  Meau^s 
picture  to  Herbert,  drummed  idly  on  the  table,  sang 
catches  of  a  ribald  air,  yet  watched  keenly  the  face 
of  his  companion. 

Herbert  took  the  picture  from  its  envelope,  his 
face  slowly  blanching,  in  a  hollow  voice  he  said  : 

' '  Pardon  me.  Did  I  understand  you  to  intimate — 
Have  you  ever  met  this  lady,  since — 

"This  letter  will  explain.     You  may  read  it." 

He  handed  him  Alice's  latest  letter,  in  answer  to 
one  alluding  to  the  probability  of  an  engagement,  and 
expressing  apprehension  and  foreboding.  It  was  her 
great  anxiety,  tenderly  expressed,  and  closing  with 


MARTIAL   STRAINS.  163 

endearing  terms.  There  could  be  no  doubt  of  its 
genuineness.  Herbert  handed  it  back  with  no  word. 
From  that  moment  he  resolved  to  think  of  her  no 
more  in  the  old  tender  way.  It  is  easy  to  resolve. 
'T  was  all  a  mystery,  but  no  act  of  his  would  un- 
fathom  it.  How  could  he  guess  of  the  villainy  that 
accomplished  it  ?  How  could  he  detect  the  trail,  who 
had  no  suspicion  of  the  serpent  ? 

They  were  soon  summoned  to  head-quarters,  and 
ere  long  the  columns  of  infantry  were  marching  away, 
having  crossed  the  Potomac,  towards  Manassas.  How 
sanguine  and  expectant !  The  morning  elation  of  that 
host,  that  looked  invincible  upon  its  winding  way 
under  the  starlit  sky,  and  the  evening  despair  that 
settled  upon  the  scattered  rank  and  file  as  it  fled, 
panic-stricken,  from  Bull  Run,  are  strongly  contrast 
ing  pictures,  upon  the  American  heart.  They  are 
engraven  by  an  artist  whose  sketches  are  as  lasting  as 
time.  Hark  !  Hearts  beat  with  one  mighty  throb, 

"  It  is — it  is  the  cannon's  opening  roar  ! " 

and  they  are  marshaled  on  the  battle-field.  A  moment 
that  seems  an  age,  they  tremble  and  shrink  and  desire 
to  rush  away.  Although  later  in  the  campaign  abject 
skulkers  were  developed  in  great  numbers — a  propor 
tion  to  every  regiment — yet  faces  that  came  to  be 
associated  with  daring  deeds  turned  pale  at  that  first 
deafening  scream  of  shot  and  shell,  with  hasty  look 
for  succor  and  safety.  From  front  to  rear,  aloft,  on 
every  side  was  terrific  thunder.  It  was  not  the 
slaughter,  perhaps,  that  caused  men  fresh  from  the 
still  forests  and  quiet  places  of  the  Union  to  quail,  but 


164:  MAPLE   RANGE. 

the  stupendous  clamor  of  the  fierce  cannonade.  The 
sickening  view  of  ghastly  wounds  came  later.  It  re 
quired  education,  a  great  deal  of  education  in  bloody 
scenes,  to  bring  men  to  perfect  coolness.  Yet  the 
terror  gradually  gave  way,  and  upon  the  Bull  Run 
battle-field,  no  doubt,  there  were  as  cool  heads  as 
were  carried  through  the  Wilderness  when  the  war 
was  old.  Sterling  characters  grow  firmer  by  trial. 

What  hopes  they  had,  how  they  pressed  on  toward! 
the  rebel  guns  over  hidden  obstructions.  The  sun 
had  passed  meridian,  McDowell  had  achieved  a 
stupendous  gain  !  The  news  was  wired,  the  land  re 
joiced  inasmuch  as  the  great  Army  of  the  Potomac 
was  slowly  beating  back  rebellious  squadrons,  who 
fought  feebly  as  they  retired.  The  war  was  virtually 
over  !  Non-combatants  at  home  took  an  afternoon 
nap.  Still  the  cloud  of  hostility  hung  over  the  hot 
July  battle-field,  where  the  dead  and  dying  lay. 

"  Guide  right !  charge  the  batteries  !  " 

"  Jehial  Smith,  of  the  First  Minnesota,  was  just 
carried  to  the  rear,  Captain. " 

"  Are  you  sure  't  was  he  ?  " 

"  Yes  ;  I  spoke  to  Dave  Persons,  one  of  the  bear 
ers." 

"  Poor  fellow  !  charge  !  " 

Again  the  war  shout,  again  the  impetuous  rush  of 
men  in  earnest  obedience  to  command.  They  meet  a 
counter  current,  are  borne  back  by  its  overwhelming 
force. 

"  There  is  Dave  Persons  again  !  " 
Yes,   it  was  Dave  on  a  slight  mound  of   earth, 
drawn  up  to  his  greatest  height,  stretching  and  cran- 


MARTIAL   STRAINS.  165 

ing  his  long  neck  to  its  utmost  to  distinguish  some 
thing.  The  smoke  baffles  him,  yet  he  peers  eagerly 
in  every  direction. 

"What  do  you  see,  Dave,  the  battle  ?  " 

"No,  worse  than  that;  a  hellish  smoke,  and 
through  it  men  flingin'  knapsacks,  guns  and  every 
thing.  Jehoshaphat,  see  'em  run  !  " 

They  could  not  see  the  retreat,  but  felt  its  impulse, 
and  the  drear  rebound  of  hope,  a  moment  before  so 
buoyant.  They  can  not  understand,  but  before  them 
lies  impassable"  ground ;  behind,  in  flight,  possible 
safety.  Over  the  slope,  dread  and  terrible,  unseen 
because  of  the  blinding  haze,  they  come,  they  come, — 
Johnson's  forces.  The  impatient  question,  "Where, 
in  God's  name,  is  Patterson  ?  "  can  not  now  effect  the 
desired  result  The  day  is  lost  !  Drifting  back  are 
disordered  infantry,  mixed  pell-mell  with  grimy  ar 
tillery  and  riderless  horses,  a  long  confused  line  of 
hurrying  objects,  dimly  defined  through  clouds  of 
smoke  and  dust. 

"Halt!" 

A  wild  stare  gives  evidence  that  the  order  is 
heard,  but  wilder  haste  shows  it  to  have  been  vain. 

It  was  unmistakable  retreat,  confused  and  univer 
sal.  All  night  the  straggling  remnants  of  broken, 
demoralized  regiments  poured  into  Georgetown. 
Next  morning,  Langmcre  and  Ellis  met  in  the  streets. 

"  Have  you  seen  Gray  ?  "  asked  the  latter. 

"No  ;  not  since  the  retreat.  Possibly  he  is  still 
advancing,  determined  to  see  Richmond,"  was  the 
unfeeling  retort. 

And  Herbert  was  advancing,  a  prisoner,  toward 


166  MAPLE    RANGE. 

Richmond.  Many  of  the  boys  of  his  company  were 
cut  off  from  the  main  body  by  rebel  cavalry  and  lost 
in  the  woods  and  open  country  in  their  attempts  to 
get  back  to  headquarters.  It  was  rainy  and  they 
could  not  get  their  bearings.  The  sun,  as  if  in  league 
with  the  foe,  refused  to  enlighten  them,  and  they 
dared  not  inquire  the  way  or  even  ask  for  food. 
After  three  days  of  fasting,  some  straggled,  nearly 
famished,  into  camp,  while  some,  alas,  are  even  yet 
among  the  "missing." 

The  whole  army,  lately  so  exultant  and  impatient 
of  restraint,  were  disgusted  with  war.  They  had 
seen  the  rebels  !  The  North  was  pulseless  with  dis 
may.  Defeat  had  not  for  a  moment  been  taken  into 
consideration  as  among  the  possibilities  of  the  ad 
vance. 

"  On  !  on  !  "  had  graced  the  columns  of  newspapers 
in  huge  head-lines  ;  and  the  cry  was  taken  up  impa 
tiently  by  the  people.  The  careful  generals  who  pro 
tested  that  plans  were  not  yet  matured,  different 
branches  of  the  army  still  too  far  apart,  too  immature 
in  their  development  for  concerted  action,  that  ad 
vance  would  result  disastrously,  had  been  decried  as 
traitors  and  disgraced  before  the  applauding  public. 
Why  disastrously  ?  Could  not  our  army  show  greater 
numerical  force,  was  it  not  better  equipped  and  more 
generous  in  its  commissariat  than  our  crippled  adver 
sary?  Our  common  soldiery  had  been  recruited 
among  the  learned  professions,  gentlemen  of  philo 
sophical  habits.  Favorites  of  fortune  and  many 
known  to  fame  marched  in  the  ranks  ;  they  would 
not  recoil,  but  serve  to  cement  weaker  material,  for 


MARTIAL   STRAINS.  167 

the  great  thought  nerved  them  all.  Indeed,  it  was 
not  want  of  merit,  it  was  not  want  of  numbers  and 
weight  ;  it  was  not  for  want  of  treasure,  nor  yet 
want  of  devotion  to  the  cause,  that  we  lost  Bull  Run  and 
languished  through  the  fruitless  Summer  that  fol 
lowed,  when  victory  seemed  to  incline  to  the  rebel 
army.  Our  failure  lay  in  the  want  of  system,  without 
which  even  stupendous  force  is  impotent,  "borne  to 
earth  by  its  own  weight. "  It  was  not  until  that  want 
was  remedied,  and  General  Grant  empowered  to  im 
pose  thorough  system  and  subordination,  that  the 
great  machinery  of  war  began  to  move  toward  suc 
cess.  The  rebel  army  was  smaller,  but  to  a  man  they 
had  reverence  for  their  commanding  general,  and  that 
general  was  a  thorough  military  genius,  scrupulously 
exacting  of  discipline,  insisting  upon  obedience  to  the 
letter  as  well  as  the  spirit  of  his  orders.  He  did  not 
confide  in  himself,  but  in  the  perfect  subjection  of  the 
immense  machinery  entrusted  to  his  manipulation. 
A  late  writer  says  of  Napoleon's  expedition  to  Rus 
sia :  "The  component  parts  of  his  vast  force  were 
not  perfect  in  themselves.  His  marshals  were  not  to 
be  trusted  beyond  the  supervision  of  his  own  eye. 
His  numerous  orders  were  neglected,  and  the  disorder 
of  the  advance  on  Moscow  brought  forth  the  bitter 
fruit  of  retreat." 

In  contrasting  accounts  of  the  march  to  and  from 
Moscow  with  the  narratives  of  the  more  recent  ad 
vance  of  the  Germans  from  the  Rhine  to  Paris,  it  will 
be  apparent  that  while  one  army  depended  on  a  man, 
the  other  rested  upon  a  system,  the  system  organized 
by  a  man  of  genius. 


168  MAPLE   KANGE. 

Lieut.  Ellis  spent  the  day  and  part  of  the  night  in 
earnest  search  among  the  soldiers  and  in  the  hospitals 
for  Herbert.  Then,  hoping  he  had  been  detailed 
upon  some  service  and  was  safe,  he  dashed  off  a  letter 
to  his  wife,  then  betook  himself  to  his  blanket  and  the 
pavement  for  the  rest  which  his  wearied  nature  re 
quired  ;  yet  mortification  and  solicitude  for  Herbert 
kept  him  long  awake.  He  knew  his  entire  company 
would  have  fought  on  against  fearful  odds  even,  had 
there  been  generalship  to  command  them.  There 
was  no  want  of  devotion  and  bravery  manifested  in 
the  army,  and  the  mortifying  result  of  their  first  en 
gagement  he  attributed  to  delinquency  in  high  places  ; 
still  he  knew  that  the  disgrace  would  for  long  attach 
itself  to  the  common  soldier.  No  doubt  it  was  the 
result  of  official  blundering,  but  the  blunderer  would 
be  screened,  while  the  soldiers  would  feel  the  disgrace 
forever.  But  he  was  mistaken  as  to  the  endurance  of 
the  stigma.  By  later  events  that  disgrace  was  wiped 
out  effectually.  For  the  present  they  plunged  deeper 
into  tactics,  and  prepared  themselves,  by  the  most 
rigorous  drill  and  observance  of  discipline,  to  partici 
pate  in  the  battles  to  come, — battles  that  should  have 
a  two-fold  office,  subjugation  of  the  armed  insurgents 
and  reparation  of  their  lost  ground  at  Bull  Kun,  for 
they  would  Avash  out  all  memory  of  it.  Beauregard 
had  not  yet  occupied  Washington.  The  country  again 
breathed  freely,  and  when  more  troops  were  called  for 
how  thrillingly  pealed  the  chorus, 

We  are  coming,  father  Abraham, 
Three  hundred  thousand  more. 


MARTIAL   STRAINS.  169 

Personal  efforts  to  maintain  the  Union  were  as 
popular  as  ever  and  her  cause  no  more  despaired  of 
than  though  Bull  Run  had  never  been  heard  of.  This 
devotion  and  loyalty  had  been  thought  to  be  cooled 
by  defeat.  Like  the  proverbial  new  broom,  it  had 
suffered  from  the  friction  of  use  and  adversity.  We 
had  been  nourished  in  the  arms  and  at  the  bosom  of 
peace  ;  our  infantile  cradle  had  been  rocked  by  her. 
Our  education  had  been  conducted  under  the  shadow 
of  her  wing.  Could  then  the  enthusiasm  for  this  fe 
rocious  war  be  more  than  temporary  ?  for  did  it  not 
require  stern  logic  and  adamantine  resolution  to  sym 
pathize  with  it  to  the  bloody,  cruel  end?  A  story  is 
told  in  the  following  camp  scene,  told  in  soldiers'1  own 
words,  a  story  of  their  hopes  and  sentiments,  and 
fears,  and  illustrative  of  the  feeling  of  the  hour. 

"What's  the  news,  Gus?  "  said  "  Long  Dave," 
as  he  was  now  always  called,  as  he  stretched  and 
sprawled  on  the  hard  floor  of  the  tent,  regarding  with 
wistful  eyes  the  letter  Gus  was  reading.  Dave  never 
knew  the  pleasure  of  correspondence.  In  all  the 
world  he  had  of  kith  or  kindred  none.  He  watched 
and  respectfully  waited  for  Gus  to  go  through  his 
letter  two  or  three  times  and  then  repeated  his  ques 
tion. 

"They  are  all  well  . at  home,  Dave,  excepting 
Robert  Maynard  and  Mrs.  Center  ;  the  latter  it  is 
thought  can  not  live  many  days. 

"  They  have  been  enlisting  there  again,  taken  ten 
men  more  from  the  settlement  and  the  Hollow,  arid 
the  draft  took  ,"  naming  them. 

"Wai  I  snum,  if  they  keep  on  at  that  gait  it  will 
8 


170  MAPLE    RANGE. 

take  the  last  man,  even  to  Paddie  O'Shannon,"  inter 
rupted  Dave. 

"  It  did;  'Lizbeth  says  the  fun  of  it  was,  he  claimed 
he  was  not  naturalized.1' 

"  Had  no  papers  !  Gosh,  I'd  gi'n  a  hundred  dollars 
to  a  been  there. " 

"  They  proved  he  had  the  papers  and  made  him 
'show  'em,  be  jabers,'  and  then  drafted  him  into 
the  army,  but  there  was  a  hulabalo  of  a  time  with 
him." 

"Well  they  had  another,  I'll  warrant,  afore  they 
got  his  hair  cut  and  his  uniform  fitted  to  him.  Gra 
cious,  how  he  must  a  kicked  when  for  the  first  time  in 
his  life  he  '  got  a  fit,'  and  felt  cloth.  O  Moses  !  " 

"'Lizbeth  says  it's  lonesome  enough  there  and 
they,  the  women  folks,  begin  to  feel  as  if  a  good  deal 
of  responsibility  will  fall  upon  them  if  the  war  con 
tinues  two  or  three  years. " 

"  What's  that !  Who  says  the  war  is  going  to  con 
tinue  two  or  three  years  ?  Show  me  the  feller  and 
we  will  have  it  out  in  five  minutes.  Good  gracious, 
I  calculate  we  can  finish  it  all  up  snug  this  Fall." 

"  Not  unless  you  can  read  a  better  account  of  us 
than  that  of  Bull  Run,  Dave." 

"  O,  that  was  a  failure,  I  allow.  What  a  fizzle, 
though.  I  say  there  never  was  a  scareder  set  o'  fel 
lows  than  we  'uns,  except  the  other  fellers,  the  Rebs. " 

"  No  wonder  there  was  fright  on  both  sides,  there 
was  lots  of  us  that  had  never  heard  a  gun  fired  in 
earnest  in  our  lives — had  smelt  powder  to  be  sure,  but 
only  at  shooting  matches  and  hunting." 

"That's  so!     Two  green  armies  met  at  Bull  Run 


MARTIAL   STRAINS.  171 

face  to  face  for  the  first  time  and  which  ever  had  its 
line  turned  was  sure  to  git  like  the  devil.     There  was 
no  other  way  to  escape  annihilation. " 
"  Of  course  not,  and 

He  who  fights  and  runs  away, 
Will  live  to  fight  another  day.'  " 

"  If  we  had  been  the  successful  party  we  thought 
we  were  at  noon  that  day,  if  Patterson  the  old  fraud 
had  held  his  ground  and  done  his  duty  we  would  a 
got  no  end  of  praise  though.  Printin'  ink  would 
have  been  all  exhausted  markin'  us  up  like  this: 

HEROES.1' 

Dave  had  written  the  last  word  in  immense  char 
acters  on  the  side  of  the  white  tent  with  a  coal,  then 
flinging  himself  down  again  continued:  "  Our  fightin' 
would  a  been  considered  the  most  wonderful  action 
under  the  sun,  for  I  notice  it's  the  result  that  gives 
color  to  any  undertakin'." 

' '  Of  course.  Dave,  nothing  succeeds  like  success, " 
said  Gus. 

"Well  it  ain't  fair,  a  fellow  wins  a  race  because 
his  opponent  who  is  ahead  and  the  best  runner,  stubs 
his  toe  near  the  end  of  the  race,  the  victory  almost 
won,  and  this  poor  snail  of  a  chap  who  ought  to  count 
it  honor  to  be  allowed  to  walk  the  same  course  in  his 
tracks,  is  hailed  as  the  victor  and  gets  all  the  honors." 

"  Save  your  breath  to  cool  your  porridge,  Dave; 
let's  talk  about  something  interesting,  Patterson  for 
instance,  what  have  they  done  with  him  ?" 


172  MAPLE   RANGE. 

"Pronounced  him  a  cursed  fool;  an  old  woman 
not  responsible  for  the  imbecile  inactivity  that — 

"He  ought  to  be  hung.  He  has  caused  more 
heads  to  hang  than  any  man  in  the  army.  I  felt  so 
dog  on 'shamed,  I  did  n't  look  up  for  a  week  after  that 
'ere  retreat." 

"You  didn't  go  fer  enough.  One  feller,  they 
say,  retreated  clear  to  the  State  of  Maine. " 

"  Good  soldier.  Heard  the  order  to  retire  and 
nobody  halted  him,  I  s'pose." 

"Langmere  is  in  the  same  list,  and  Gray  's  going 
on,  I  s'pose,  like  old  John  Brown's  body. " 

"Langmere  ;  why  he  was  here  yesterday,  I  saw 
him." 

"  Well,  I  '11  bet  nobody  has  seen  him  to-day,  for  I 
heard  the  Colonel  tell  him  to  go  to  hell,  and  he  is 
powerful  good  to  obey  orders." 

"  We  shall  meet  him  again  then,  the  most  of  us." 

"The  Colonel  knew  it  would  be  for  the  good  oi 
the  country  for  him  to  go." 

' '  Langmere  has  got  a  black  heart ;  anyone  could 
read  that," 

"  He  has  been  figuring  for  furlough  a  long  back  ; 
they  say  he  is  going  to  marry  a  girl  up  in  Ohio.  He 
told  of  it  when  he  was  drunk." 

"Well,  I  would  advise  that  girl  to  get  insured  ; 
that 's  an  awful  red  head  of  hissen." 

"  I  've  a  red  head  mesel',"  chimed  in  a  rich  voice 
from  under  a  blanket  in  one  corner,  "but  it  never 
kindled  a  fire  yit." 

"  Why,  Mike  !  "  said  Gus,  "  I  thought  that  last 


MARTIAL   STRAINS.  173 

whisky  fixed  your  music  to-night.     You  have    been 
snorin'  like  the  seven  sleepers." 

"Seven  sleepers,  is  it.  I '11  bet  you  a  cow,  Gus,' 
there  is  more  nor  seven  hundred  under  this  same 
blanket  wid  me,  and  ivery  one  of  'em  wide  awake. 
They  kape  up  such  a  divil  of  a  thrampin',  gittin'  up 
an'  settin'  down  on  me,  so  unaisy  loike.  They  are  a 
dale  worse  than  me  ould  woman  at  home,  or  me  stip- 
in-mother,  that  used  to  lick  me,  till  me  legs  would 
tingle  a  wake." 

"What  was  the  complaint  about  your  'ould 
woman,'  though  ? " 

"Och!  She  would  peck  away  at  me  head  all 
day,  and  thin  she  would  peck  at  me  back  all  night 
wid  her  sharp  elbeys,  an'  snappin'  at  me  in  me 
dthrame,  hollerin'  '  Lay  along,  Mike  ! '  an'  me  loike 
a  lamb,  hangin'  jist  on  the  bed  rail,  holdin'  on  wid 
me  teeth  an'  toe  nails,  and  the  whole  len'th  of  me 
body  all  night  a  swayin'  clear  of  it." 

"I's  powerful  sorry  for  yer  back,  Mike,  but  I 
spec's  I  could  show  yer  blacker  scars,  an'  more  of 
'em,  though  I  was  never  rightly  married,  an'  never 
had  a  mother  or  a  step-in-mother  to  lick  me." 

"Och  !  ye  are  one  o'  yer  aunt's  childhren,  are  ye, 
Pomp.  Well  now,  if  the  scars  on  yer  back  are 
blacker  than  yer  face,  do  ye  be  afther  tellin'  us  how 
ye  coom  by  'em.  I  can't  a  bear  mysthery  at  all." 

"  Spit  it  out,  Pomp,  tell  us  who  branded  you. 
Do  n't  be  afraid,  you  are  in  Uncle  Sam's  pasture  now, 
you  know,"  said  Dave. 

"  Wai,"  said  the  negro,  "  I  used  to  belong  to  ole 
massa  Wilbur,  down  in  Norf  Carlina.  I  done  the 


174:  MAPLE   RANGE. 

ficTlin'  an'  preachin'  on  the  plantation,  an'  ef  I  did  n't 
go  right  for'ed  in  the  way  of  duty,  why  my  missus 
would  scole  an'  tear  an'  stop  my  'lowance  of  meal  and 
bacon.  But  laws,  I  did  n't  mind  it  at  all.  It  was  a 
kind  o'  means  o'  grace," 

"  Made  ye  shoin,  Pomp." 

"The  cullud  people  never  tole  of  my  short  cum 
mins,  'kase  the  Lord  bein'  on  my  side,  I  allus  had 
more  meal  an'  bacon  than  I  needed,  anyhow,  an'  if 
they  got  short,  they  could  get  it  of  me  instead  of 
stealin',  which  was  a  great  help  to  'em  moonlight 
nights.  Besides,  I  was  in  c'mand  of  the  chicken 
militia,  you  know  ;  boss  of  the  fowl  brigade,  and 
managed  the  capture  of  a  comfortable  number  of 
hens  every  night.  All  went  on  swimmin'  and  accord 
ing  to  gospel,  till  massa  brought  home  a  mulatto  boy. 
Yes,  sah,  his  name  was  Tom,  and  I  knew  the  minute 
I  sot  eyes  onto  him,  I  could  never  make  a  Christian 
on  him.  An'  so  I  hated  him.  He  was  allus  a  sneak- 
in'  and  courtin'  the  gals,  and  finally  got  to  shinin' 
around  Dinah,  the  housemaid,  that  was  promised  to 
me.  One  night  there  was  a  little  fuss  at  the  hen 
roost,  and  missus,  who  was  purtickular  about  her 
pullets  sleepin'  sound,  run  out  and  kotched  Tom  jest 
comin'  round  the  cornah  of  the  v'randah.  She  licked 
him  smart  for  it,  an'  he  up  an'  tole  her  it  was  me 
made  the  fuss  at  the  roost.  She  did  n't  believe  it  at 
fust,  sah,  but  watched  out,  and  suah  as  you  live  she 
kotched  me.  O  but  she  was  mad  tho'.  You  nevah 
seed  such  a  devil  as  she  was  then,  and  she  tole  the 
overscan  to  stake  me  down  to  the  ground  flat  on  my 
face,  and  then  she  stood  by  an'  laughed,  O,  ye  ought  to 


MARTIAL   STRAINS.  175 

hearn  her,  while  he  drew  a  big  halt-starved  barn  cat 
by  its  tail  down  my  naked  back,  so  many  times  I 
forgot  to  count,  and  besides,  I  was  busy  talkin'." 
"  What  was  ye  afther  sayin',  Pomp  ? " 
"My  prayers,   honey.     I  was  one  of  the  Lord's 
'tickler  chilluns,   and  went  by  the  lightnin'   of   his 
spirit." 

"And  the  cat,  he  went  by  lightnin'  I  'spose,"  said 
Dave. 

"He  clawed  toleble." 

"  Ye  shud  a  been  a  Oirishmon,  sure  thin,  Pomp." 
"  O  I  was  raw  enough,  Mike  ;  the  days  I  lay  and 
'fleeted  how  I'd  git  even  with  that  overseah,  sah.  At 
last  a  plan.  O  yaw,  yaw  !  Gorry  that  was  a  plan," 
and  Pomp  rolled  in  convulsions  on  the  ground  at  the 
bare  recollection. 

"  Let's  hear  it.     I  hope  ye  polished  'im." 

"Yes,  sah  !    Ye  see  he  had  been  all  along  hanker- 

c^ 

in'  arter  Dinah.  Gorry  mighty,  but  she  hated  him  ! 
and  was  mad  ca'se  he  hed  humiliated  me.  I  tole  her 
to  fool  'im  along  till  I  got  ready  for  him,  un'  I'd 
finish  up  the  amoosment.  So  one  moonlight  night 
she  was  pertendin'  to  a  little  likenin'  of  him,  and 
'lowed  his  soft  sodder  a  good  bit  while  they  lem- 
onaded  down  to  the  cotton-gin,  where  she  knew  I  was 
hid,  waitin'  for  'em.  She  came  a  teterin'  in  an'  whis- 
perin'  to  him  that  "niggahs  might  hear 'em  un'  he 
better  take  off  his  boots. "  When  he  sot  down  to  take 
'em  off,  I  raised  up  still  as  death  an'  slipped  a  noose 
over  his  neck,  an'  jerked  it  tight  to  a  beam  afore  he 
could  help  himself.  Then  I  tied  his  hands  behind  him, 
pulled  his  feet  straight  down  to  a  ring  in  the  floah  so 


176  MAPLE   RANGE. 

that  the  leastest  stir  would  choke  him.  Then,  sah,  I 
took  a  big  cat  that  I  had  n't  fed  for  a  week,  and  put 
it  in  a  bag  and  drew  the  eend  of  the  bag  up  an'  tied  it 
so  that  thar  was  jest  room  enough  for  the  cat  and  the 
overseah's  feet.  Oh,  I  tied  it  tight,  sah,  squeezin'  the 
cat  till  it  growl'd  like  satan,  an'  then  I  stirr'd  that  cat, 
sah,  an'  I  punched  that  cat,  sah,  till  it  was  a  match 
for  a  tiger  and  took  hold  o'  them  feet  for  keeps,  sah  ; 
then  I  said  good  evenin',  sah !  Leavin'  a  boy  to  punch 
and  keep  up  the  cat's  grit.  I  took  my  Dinah  by  the 
waist  and  left  'em.  But,  lo'd  sakes,  sah,  I  could  heah 
that  ole  cat  a  swearin'  after  we  got  clean  up  to  the 
niggah  quarters,  the  rations  was  so  tough  !  " 

"An'  yer  yar-rn  is  loike  the  rations,  Pomp,  an' 
makes  me  incloin'  to  swear  with  the  cat,  only  the  pair 
of  us  would  be  loikly  to  overdo  the  matt  her  of  swear- 
in',  so  that  the  officers  would  be  out  o"1  bisness  althe- 
gedder,"  said  Mike,  good-humoredly. 

"  Swear  away  then,  Mike,"  said  the  soldier,  who 
had  just  dropped  in  and  heard  only  Mike's  comments, 
"  swear  away.  If  the  officers  would  give  a  little  of 
that  kind  of  work  out  to  supernumeraries  and  attend 
closer  to  the  real  business  of  war,  it  would  n't  last  till 
snow  flies. 

"You  have  got  a  level  head,  comrade,"  said  Long 
Dave.  "If  every  officer,  from  Scott  clear  down  to 
Langmere,  the  poorest  of  the  lot,  were  obliged  to 
keep  their  mouths  shut  and  work  without  pay,  and  it 
was  agreed  to  leave  politics  and  the  Presidential  ques 
tion  to  Providence  till  the  job  was  done,  there  is 
nothing  surer  than  that  we  would  whip  the  Rebs. " 


MARTIAL   STRAINS.  177 

"  Yes,  an'  get  home  to  Christmas,"  cried  a  voice 
outside. 

"But  Pomp  —  what  would  become  of  "Pomp?" 
asked  another. 

"Pomp  could  celebrate  Christmas  wherever  he 
pleased,  for  when  this  war  is  over  he  will  be  a  free 
man ;  free  to  marry  Dinah  ;  free  to  prosecute  the 
overseah  if  there  is  anything  left  of  him,  or  administer 
the  cat  to  him  again. " 

Just  then  a  raw  recruit  who  had  been  detailed 
upon  picket  duty  that  night,  rushed  into  the  tent, 
smiling  and  rubbing  his  hands,  saying  : 

"I — goll,  now,  this  looks-a  little  more  like  !  " 
He  looked  dirty  and  self-neglected.     His  new  uni 
form  was  too  big  for  him.     His  hair,  for  want  of 
combing,  had  matted  on  top  of  his  head  and  hung 
in  little  stumpy  twists  clear  down  into  his  eyes  and 
refused  to  acknowledge  the  hat  that  had  slid  off  down 
over  his  left  ear.     His  brogans  sounded  rattley,  as  if 
they  were  tied  by  strings  about  his  ankles  and  dragged 
along  behind  him  when  he  walked.     He  took  his  hat 
in  his  hand,  and  shaking  the  rain  drops  from  it  said  : 
"It  rains  like  the  mischief.     I'm  wet  as  sop." 
An  officer  had  slipped  in  behind  him,  and  touching 
him  on  the  shoulder,  with  a  look  more  humorous  than 
severe,  said  : 

"  You  must  go  back  at  once  to  your  post  of  duty." 
"What!   to-night,  cap'n?     It's  too    durned   fur! 
I  jist  got  here." 

"  Can  't  help  it !     You  must  go  back." 

"Why,  cap'n,"  he  said,  crawling  up  to  the  officer 


178  MAPLE   RANGE. 

and  smiling  as  if  it  was  a  good  joke,  "it's  dark  as 
thunder." 

"No  more  words,  sir.  Come  right  along  !  "  spoken 
more  sternly. 

' '  Oh,  gosh  darn,  cap'n,  'tain't  safe  out  there  ;  a 
feller  might  git  shot !  " 


A  FAREWELL   VISIT.  179 


CHAPTER   VI. 

A  FAREWELL   VISIT. 

"  What  avails  this  wond'rous  waste  of  wealth  ?  " 

THE  stately  residence  of  Mr.  Pierre  La  Moore 
stood  upon  the  side  of  a  bluff,  overlooking  the 
city  and  the  river.  The  owner  was  still  abroad, 
"detained,"  his  wife  said,  "by  intricate  suits  at  law, 
entailed  by  the  settlement  of  an  estate  that  he  claimed 
for  his  elder  children — property  that  should  right 
fully  have  gone  to  his  first  wife  at  the  decease  of  her 
father,  many  years  ago." 

As  she  was  the  sole  and  undisputed  heir,  it  would 
seem  that  the  recovery  of  this  property  for  her  heirs 
should  have  been  simple  enough  ;  but  Mr.  La  Moore 
found  French  lawyers  very  exacting  in  regard  to 
details  concerning  individual  demise,  and  those  details 
very  numerous,  and  months  passed  away  until  another 
year  came  round  and  he  was  apparently  as  far  from 
the  accomplishment  of  his  object  as  when  he  first 
introduced  himself  to  the  punctilious  legal  gentlemen 
who  had  custody  of  the  valuable  documents  he  wished 
to  obtain. 

It  is  a  hard  thing  to  say  of  a  man  who  has  enjoyed 
the  protection  of  a  government,  that  he  will  shirk  the 
responsibility  of  defending  it  in  its  hour  of  direst 
need.  But  truth  compels  me  to  regretfully  admit  my 


180  MAPLE   RANGE. 

conviction,  that  the  war  and  the  repeated  calls  for 
men  and  money  had  something  to  do  with  Mr.  La 
Moore's  long  absence  in  France.  Eugene  expressed 
great  desire  to  return  and  enter  the  Federal  army, 
and  his  father  feared  his  authority  could  not  prevent 
his  enlisting,  besides  he  himself  was  not  past  the  age 
of  military  duty.  Conscription  was  just  then  the 
demon  that  disturbed  the  slumbers  of  many  men  with 
a  like  faith  and  political  creed,  and  Pierre  La  Moore 
believed  that  he  was  safer,  and  his  son  as  well,  upon 
a  neutral  shore.  There,  for  the  present,  he  determined 
to  remain,  while  his  family  were  still  in  St.  P . 

Mrs.  La  Moore  was  an  American  lady — handsome, 
haughty  and  high  -  tempered,  according  to  Dame 
Rumor — exacting  punctilious  deference  from  all  the 
children  ;  and  to  the  judicious  training  of  their  own 
mother  she  was  indebted  for  the  sweetness  with  which 
it  was  rendered  by  the  elder  ones,  who  rarely  asserted 
their  own  preferences. 

Some  peculiar,  but  mysterious  influence  prevented 
the  degeneration  of  their  noble,  though  proud  spirits, 
and  that  influence  was  not  Mrs.  La  Moore's,  nor  yet 
her  husband's.  Their  obedience  was,  indeed,  wonder 
ful,  when  it  was  considered  that  instead  of  loving 
their  step-mother,  in  their  hearts  they  almost  loathed 
her. 

Annette  had  been  long  engaged  to  marry  Robert 
Maynard.  Yet  her  mother's  caprice  had  so  far  inter 
fered.  Once  in  the  Autumn,  when  his  health  was 
feeble,  she  declared  it  unwise,  and  caused  a  postpone 
ment  until  Spring  ;  and  when  Spring  came  and  the 
day  was  appointed,  she  again  laid  the  blight  of  hope 


A   FAREWELL   VISIT.  181 

deferred  upon  their  love,  under  the  plea  that,  in  the 
absence  of  her  husband,  she  had  no  authority  to  per 
mit  the  marriage  of  his  daughter,  who  was  under 
age.  She  said  also  that  she  believed  Robert's  purpose 
was  to  enter  the  army,  as  soon  as  his  health  would 
permit.  To  this  he  could  offer  no  sincere  denial,  and 
the  former  he  was  too  proud  spirited  to  .combat, 
though  it  grieved  him  sorely,  as  well  as  the  dear  girl, 
whom  he  wished  to  rescue  from  her  tyranny. 

The  war  had  reached  its  second  Summer  of  blood 
and  carnage — many  histories  have  recorded  with 
what  sacrifices.  Regiment  succeeded  regiment  in  the 
winding  way  that  led  from  Minnesota  to  the  theater 
of  strife,  and  now  still  another  awaited  marching 
orders.  In  this  one  Robert  Maynard  is  enrolled. 
They  have  been  some  weeks  at  Fort  Snelling,  and  he 
has  permission  to  visit  home  once  more  before  the 
final  move. 

The  sun  is  approaching  the  Summer  solstice,  and 
the  twilight  hour  is  grateful  to  weary  nature. 

Robert  and  Annette  gratefully  improve  this  hour 
by  a  long  promenade  in  the  shrubbery.  The  evening 
star  beams  bright  and  solitary  just  above  the  purple- 
line  of  clouds  that  lately  screened  the  sun.  A  gentle 
wind  refreshes  the  lovers  as  they  walk,  keeping  step 
together.  They  arc  a  noble  pair,  with  something 
suggestive  of  resemblance,  yet  not  at  all  alike.  Both 
are  above  the  average  height  but  the  lady  is  a  rich 
brunette,  while  Robert  is  fair-haired,  and  with  a  fine 
white  forehead,  blue  eyes,  and  good  English  com 
plexion. 

The  grass  was  moist  with  dew,  and  observing  this 


182  MAPLE   RANGE. 

they  entered  an  arbor  covered  with  climbing  roses, 
and  sat  down.  Robert's  arm  encircled  the  slender 
waist,  his  face  was  close  to  hers,  his  breath  upon  her 
cheek  ;  his  voice  musically  earnest  as  he  said  : 

"  Annette,  I  could  not  stay,  now  I  am  well  enough 
to  bear  arms.  My  country,  mine  at  least  by  adop 
tion,  needs  me.  It  is  not  an  easy  task  to  leave  such  a 
mother  and  sister  as  mine,"  here  the  bright  blue  eyes 
grew  dim,  his  voice  sank  almost  to  a  whisper,  "to 
tear  myself  from  such  a  love  as  yours,  my  darling." 

"Hush,  Robert,"  she  replied;  "you  do  not  tear 
yourself  from  my  love,  for  to  whatever  fate  you  go, 
my  love  goes  with  you.  It  is  more  emphatically 
yours  than  before  your  enlistment.  It  deepens, 
grows  graver  and  holier,  because  of  the  danger  which 
threatens  you,  and  I  confess  it  grows  prouder  too.  I 
have  high  hopes  of  your  military  career,  and  believe 
that,  although  this  is  not  your  native  country,  your 
brave  loyal  arm  will  purchase  a  kin-ship  as  noble  as 
nativity." 

"God  bless  you,  my  Annette,  for  lifting  the 
weight  from  my  spirits.  I  feared  your  remonstances 
which,  though  they  could  not  deter  me  from  my 
duty,  would  greatly  sadden  its  performance.  Instead 
of  reproaches  and  remonstrances  I  have  your  encour 
agement,  and  I  am  impatient  to  meet  and  conquer  all 
difficulties  that  lie  between  me  and  the  undisputed 
possession  of  such  love.  Promise  me  only  this,  that 
when  all  other  obstacles  are  removed  your  mother 
shall  be  powerless  to  place  a  barrier  between  us 
again." 

"  I  promise  you.  Robert,  her  will  shall  be  naught. 


A   FAREWELL  VISIT.  183 

Ah,  surely  my  obedience  need  not  extend  to  the 
wrecking  of  my  own  happiness  and  yours." 

Enfolding  her  resistless  form  with  his  strong 
arms  he  drew  her  to  his  breast  and  laid  long,  linger 
ing,  passionate  kisses  upon  her  brow,  cheek,  and  lips; 
then  rising  together  they  moved  towards  the  house. 
The  parlor  was  not  lighted,  but  the  moon  shone  full 
into  the  room,  and  made  every  article  visible  as  they 
seated  themselves  upon  a  sofa  in  a  spacious  bay  win 
dow.  Upon  a  table  near,  stood  an  exquisite  vase 
filled  with  rare  flowers,  Annette  took  it  in  her  hand 
and  held  the  flowers  close  to  her  lover's  face,  saying: 

"Their  beauty  is  not  all  of  form  or  color  ;  here, 
press  this  rose  a  moment  in  your  hand  and  behold 
how  fragrant.  Even  as  this  flower  when  crushed 
emits  a  sweeter  odor,  so,  crushed  by  life's  cruel 
reverses,  the  soul  is  chastened  and  purified, 

"  Do  you  not  think,"  he  replied,  "that  many  are 
embittered  by  sorrow.  That  all  the  soul's  antagon 
ism  is  roused  to  resist  inflictions  that  seem  unde 
served,  and  though  the  infinite  design  may  be  to 
chasten  and  to  purify,  the  result  is  coldness  to  man, 
infidelity  to  God." 

"There  may  be,"  she  answered,  "examples  of 
that  kind.  I  have  not  met  them.  I  know  but 
one  of  life's  martyrs,  one  who  has  bathed  for 
many  years  in  suffering,  who  has  been  ruthlessly 
stripped  of  all  comfort  and  blessedness,  but  I  know 
the  sweetness  of  that  soul  rises  heavenward  with  new 
fragrance  each  morning." 

She  had  risen  from  her  seat  while  speaking  and 
stood  before  him.  The  waving  wealth  of  long  raven 


184  MAPLE   RANGE. 

ringlets  thrown  back  from  her  forehead,  her  dark 
eyes  humid  with  emotion  ;  her  cheeks,  now  flushed, 
now  pallid,  and  her  heart  beating  perceptibly. 

Robert,  wondering  he  had  never  realized  before  her 
transcendent  loveliness  so  far  excelling  the  beauty  of 
other  women,  drew  her  gently  down  beside  him,  say 
ing  : 

"  Annette,  I  have  seen  in  all  my  life  but  one  such 
face  as  yours,  and  that  one  lacked  more  than  half 
your  present  beauty,  the  charm  of  soul  ennobling 
physical  perfection." 

Thinking  to  soothe  her  excitement,  which  was 
almost  painful  to  him,  he  took  the  vase  she  still 
held  in  her  hand,  and  smiling,  said: 

"Why,  my  sister  Nellie  has  just  such  a  vase  as 
this.  I  woncfer  if  yours  was  as  costly.  I  must  tell 
you  the  story.  ^  ^ 

"Many  years  ago  in  England,  our  family 
was  preparing  to  come  to  America,  and  a  few  days 
before  we  embarked,  father  sold  a  valuable  colt  we 
had  raised,  and  which  I  had  always  called  my  own. 
He  gave  me  its  price,  a  ten  pound  note,  which  I  very 
carelessly  put  in  my  pocket.  In  the  morning,  wear 
ing  another  suit  of  clothes,  I  went  with  him  to  Liver 
pool,  a  few  miles  distant.  While  we  were  absent  an 
itinerant  vendor  of  glassware,  a  persuasive  Bohe 
mian,  induced  Nellie  to  invest  in  his  merchandise  to 
the  extent  of  all  her  available  cast-off  clothing.  This 
proved  insufficient  to  meet  the  price  he  set  on  the 
vase. 

"To  obtain  it  she  was  obliged  to  make  a  draft  upon 
my  wardrobe  and  when  I  came  home,  talking  with 


A   FAREWELL   VISIT.  185 

some  boyish  boastfulness  of  my  trip  and  trifling  ac 
quisitions,  she  triumphantly  brought  forward  her  new 
purchase,  claiming  our  praises  for  her  sagacity  in 
palming  off  for  so  lovely  a  vase,  many  worthless  old 
garments  among  which  had  been  the  identical  one 
that  held  my  ten  pound  note."  Annette  laughed 

gaily- 

"  Well  now  as  a  partial  reward  for  the  suffering 
poor  Nellie  must  have  endured  through  your  raillery, 
I  shall  send  her  my  vase.  I  have  no  recollection  of 
how  we  came  by  it,  but  who  knows,  some  day,  per 
haps  this  one  and  Nellie's  may  have  been  twins." 

It  was  growing  late  but  the  lovers  still  lingered 
and  the  wish  to  stay  grew  stronger  the  faster  time 
sped.  He  rose  to  go  at  last,  saying: 

"  I  will  come  again  next  week  and  our  parting 
then  will  be  for  a  longer  time." 

Annette  went  with  him,  hanging  on  his  arm  and 
saying  many  last  words  half  playfully,  half  sorrow 
fully — down  the  first  flight  of  steps  that  led  to  another 
terrace  and  past  a  fountain,  whose  cooling  spray  re 
flected  the  moonbeams.  They  paused,  and  watched 
the  goldfish  playing  with  sparkling  fin  in  the  marble 
basin  beneath.  Then  they  walked  to  the  next  stairway 
where  he  took  her  hand  and  tenderly  pressing  it  to 
his  lips,  whispered  : 

" Our  separation  will  not  be  long,  darling;  good 
night,"  and  with  a  lover's  kiss  the  parting  ended. 

He  went  down  the  stairs  gaily  waving  his  hand  to 

her,   and  when  he  was  lost  to  view,  with  a  sinking 

heart  she  returned  to  the  house.       Mounting  leisurely 

the  piazza  steps  she  met  at  the  top  her  step-mother 

8* 


186  MAPLE    RANGE. 

and  with  a  pleasant  "  good  night,  ma'am  "  would  have 
passed  on  to  her  own  room  but  Mrs.  La  Moore  per 
emptorily  bade  her  remain,  and  haughtily  addressing 
her,  said  : 

"  Let  your  folly  end  to-night,  Annette.  I  forbid, 
positively  forbid,  your  meeting  this  young  person 
again  during  your  father's  absence.  Since  your  own 
self-respect  seems  to  have  abandoned  you,  I  shall  not 
allow  it  to  be  said  that  1  forget  what  is  due  to  pro 
priety.  I  will  not  allow  you  to  sit  till  this  hour  in  a 
room,  without  other  than  the  moon's  light,  with  a 
young  man,  who  is  nothing,  and  can  be  nothing  to 
you." 

"Indeed,  mother,  you  know  he  is  every  thing  to 
me  ;  his  image  has  the  truest  place  in  my  heart,  his 
ring  is  on  my  hand,  and  his  kiss  lies  yet  warm  upon 
nry  lips.  If  life  is  spared  us  I  will  be  his  wife  as 
surely  as  the  stars  shine." 

"  Spare  me  your  heroics  and  this  nonsense  about 
being  his  wife,  for  you  will  be  no  such  thing.  I  tell 
you  I  will  see  that  you  do  not  disgrace  us  by  these 
improper  interviews  at  least  until  your  father  returns, 
when  his  authority  will,  I  trust,  put  an  end  altogether 
to  your  foolish  dreams  of  an  union  with -this  young 
farmer. " 

At  the  sneer  with  which  the  last  word  was  spoken 
the  passion  which  lay  dormant,  kept  down  by  Annette's 
firm  will,  flamed  up  into  the  wild  eyes  that  looked  into 
Mrs.  La  Moore's,  and  in  a  voice  trembling  with  sup 
pressed  anger,  she  replied : 

"  Be  careful,  madam,  how  you  exasperate  me. 
Who  are  you  that  you  talk  of  propriety  to  me.  Who 


A   FAREWELL   VISIT.  187 

but  yourself  prevented  the  lighting  up  of  the  parlor 
this  evening.  The  question  you  have  raised  as  to  my 
union  with  Robert  Maynard  is  not  within  your  prov 
ince,  and  I  will  not  discuss  it  with  you. 

"I  warn  you  that  your  continued  interference  will 
be  absolutely  disregarded.  Down  deep  in  my  heart 
there  is  the  memory  of  wrongs,  that  you  never  can 
obliterate,  and  which  you  shall  not  forget,  so  long  as 
my  features  retain  their  likeness  ;  you  must  not  dare 
to  encroach  upon  the  sacred  ground  of  my  love. " 

Grand  and  queenly,  she  swept  past  the  woman  who 
had  insulted  her,  through  the  open  door,  and,  mount 
ing  the  stairs,  was  soon  alone  in  her  own  room,  where, 
kneeling  before  her  own  mother's  picture,  she  wept 
and  talked  to  it,  as  though  indeed  the  canvas  were  a 
thing  of  life. 

"  O  mamma,"  she  cried,  "  what  a  hard  duty  you 
imposed  upon  me,  when  you  bade  me  treat  with  con 
sideration  the  canker  worm  that  has  sapped  the  happi 
ness  of  our  home.  O  give  me  back  my  promise, 
sweet  mamma,  give  it  back  or  bend  on  me  to-night  the 
quiet  beams  of  your  forgiving  eyes.  Why  am  I  so 
selfish,  whose  sufferings  are  as  naught  compared  with 
your  long  anguish.  O  mamma,  darling,  forgive  me,  I 
will  not  again  forget  the  promise  that  grew  out  of 
your  great  woe." 

Below  through  the  two  midnight  hours,  the  last  of 
the  evening,  the  first  of  the  morning,  an  infuriated 
woman  paced  the  moonlit  porch  of  her  regal  home 
and  angels  had  no  part  in  dictating  her  thoughts. 

At  breakfast  table  next  morning  all  traces  of  her 
passions  or  of  last  night's  collision  were  gone.  An- 


188  MAPLE   RANGE. 

nette's  bow  and  polite  "good  morning "  were  as  po^ 
litely  returned  by  the  proud  woman  who  sat  behind 
the  shining  coffee  urn. 

Plate  and  cut  glass  enhance  the  relish  of  a  good 
breakfast,  and  a  good  breakfast  it  was,  for  the  cuisine 
of  Mr.  La  Moore's  establishment  was  professionally 
perfect.  Yet  with  plate  an^l  cut  glass  and  good  cook 
ing  Mrs.  La  Moore  was  denied  the  relish  which  is  in, 
dispensable  to  gastric  enjoyment,  for  though  she  occu 
pied  the  seat  of  honor  at  the  table,  yet  a  silent,  unseen 
presence  claimed  co-partnership. 

Wherever  she  moved  she  was  inwardly  conscious 
of  and  recoiled  from  it.  Involuntarily  it  shared  her 
chair,  her  pillow,  and  her  path,  as  from  her  footsteps 
she  seemed  to  hear  the  double  echoes  ring. 

If  for  a  moment  she  joined  in  the  family  merri 
ment,  laughter,  gentle,  sad  and  low,  seemed  to  accom 
pany  her  own. 

If  to  her  babe  she  sang  a  lullaby,  another  voice  in 
the  same  key  responded  with  a  mocking  symphony — 
and  when  she  wept  she  felt  upon  her  hands  the  warm 
rain  of  another's  tears. 

This  dual  existence  had  form  only  in  her  fancy  ; 
none  others  guessed  its  presence,  but  it  followed  her, 
ever  taking  one  half  of  all  her  comforts. 

The  aristocratic  wife  of  the  rich  man  walked, 
talked,  ate,  laughed,  sang  and  wept,  yet  all  the  while, 
with  furtive  glance  around — shuddering  and  shrink 
ing  away. 


IN   THE   NET.  189 


CHAPTER    VH. 

IN    THE   NET. 

Thou  art  not  dead,  the  narrow  grave 

Is  not  for  me  thy  resting  place ; 
There's  something  in  me  that  can  save 

Thee  from  Mortality's  embrace. 

As  when  the  dying  sun  sinks  low 

A  line  of  crimson  tints  the  west, 
Thy  beauty  from  my  path  may  go, 

But  leaves  the  charm  that  made  me  blest. 

— ALEXANDER. 

ON  the  14th  March,  1862,  Gen.  McClellan  had  is 
sued  an  address  to  the  army  of  the  Potomac,  an 
nouncing  the  reasons  why,  since  the  battle  of  Bull 
Run,  they  had  remained  inactive  save  for  the  daily 
drilling  behind  entrenchments.  The  infamous  stars 
and  bars  of  the  Confederacy  were  flaunting  in  full 
sight,  Washington  was  literally  in  a  state  of  siege, 
and  every  Federal  craft  that  ascended  the  river,  chal 
lenged  the  frowning  batteries  of  an  irate  foe. 

Marching  orders  were  once  more  issued,  the  sick 
sent  back,  camps  broken  up,  and  all  prepared  to 
encounter  the  dragon  of  Rebellion.  The  bitter  remem 
brance  of  Bull  Run  rankled  in  many  a  heart,  and  the 
army  was  anxious  to  retaliate  upon  the  enemy  and 
win  back  the  laurels  so  ingloriously  trampled  down 


190  MAPLE   KANGE. 

on  that  disastrous  day  of  July,  1861.    Various  proph 
ecies  were  current  regarding  their  destination. 

From  the  dock  they  crowded  on  board  the  trans 
ports  till  a  whole  fleet  lay  anchored  upon  the  heaving 
flood — a  hundred  thousand  throbbing  human  hearts, 
all  eager  for  a  hostile  encounter  with  those  who  had  pro 
voked  a  wrath  that  hourly  grew  and  intensified;  hearts 
that  had  been  thrilled  by  the  successive  victories  of  Ro- 
anoke,  Pea  Ridge,  Newborn,  Winchester  and  Donelson 
—victories  in  which  they  had  not  shared,  but  the  ring 
of  which  had  reached  their  inactive  camp  and  fired 
their  soldier  hearts.  At  a  given  signal  the  whole  grand 
fleet  swept  down  the  noble  stream — the  stars  and 
stripes  streaming  at  every  mast-head,  and  national 
music  waking  the  slumberous  air  that  brooded  over 
the  scene.  They  ride  the  elements,  each  ship  "a 
thing  of  life,"  cutting  with  queenly  prow  the  spark 
ling  wave  and  dashing  from  each  side  the  foaming 
spray.  As  they  glide  past  its  anchorage  a  hundred 
thousand  voices  respond  to  the  salutation  of  the  float 
ing  battery — the  triumph  of  sea  warfare,  the  pride 
of  the  Northern  wave,  though  an  unpretentious  raft 
— the  Monitor. 

The  troops  disembarked  at  Fortress  Monroe  in  a 
drenching  rain,  marching  through  mud  and  discom 
fort  to  Hampton,  where  they  encamped,  made  forlorn 
fires  and  prepared  as  best  they  might  their  coffee, 
cooked  their  bacon,  and  gratefully  partook  of  the  nice 
fresh  bread  brought  from  the  Fort.  Here,  Pomp,  who 
had  been  installed  cook  and  "  valet  "  to  the  person  of 
Lieut :>-  int  Langmere  (whose  self-importance  grew  in 
propo:  lion  as  his  worthlessness  became  apparent  to  his 


IN   THE    NET.  191 

comrades),  met  many  old  friends  of  the  "  colored  per 
suasion  "  among  the  crowds  of  contrabands  who  occu 
pied  a  long  row  of  board  buildings.  They  were  employed 
—the  men,  about  the  Government  vessels  and  trans 
ports  at  anchor  ;  the  women,  in  cooking,  washing  and, 
as  Mike  facetiously  remarked,  "repairin'  the  breaches 
made  by  the  b'ys  in  the  bothersome  flank  movements 
that  has  come  to  be  as  common  as  sunrise,  bedad." 

They  were  exceedingly  pious,  those  contrabands, 
just  tasting  of  freedom  !  What,  though  their  zeal  was 
of  the  kind  written  of  as  "not  according  to  knowl 
edge?"  The  prayer  meetings  of  the  "bredren,"  a 
source  of  amusement  to  some,  were  edifying  to  others 
who  recognized  the  image  of  our  Lord,  though  the 
mirror  may  be  common,  the  frame  ebony.  There 
were  many  of  fairer  complexion  than  is  sometimes 
believed  to  exist  on  the  bitter  side  of  the  line  that  dis 
tinguishes  the  bond  and  free.  One  of  these  proved 
to  be  the  heroine  of  Pomp's  story.  The  day  after 
this  meeting  she  acceded  to  his  renewed  entreaties, 
and  he  was  for  once  "rightfully  married." 

The  officer  of  the  picket  guard  was  nightly 
besieged  by  these  people  who  were  passed  through 
the  line  to  protection  and  food.  Their  joy  to  know 
themselves  liberated  from  bondage  was  touching  to 
witness.  They  regarded  the  advent  of  the  army  as  a 
sign  of  the  promise  of  deliverence  that  had  cheered 
the  gloom  of  their  servitude  for  many  years.  In  their 
benighted  ignorance  they  had  not  learned  of  him  who 
later  promised  to  be  their  leader  to  Beulah,  the  Moses 
of  Tennessee. 

"On  to  Richmond"  again  resounded  through  the 


192  MAPLE   RANGE. 

camp,  and  the  army,  with  two  days'  rations,  was  in 
motion  toward  Yorktown,  through  such  mud  as  the 
Minnesota  boys  had  never  dreamed  of.  The  distance 
was  only  twenty-live  miles,  but  it  required  diligence 
to  march  half  that  distance  in  a  day.  Yet  the  mud 
was  alternately  plunged  into,  crawled  out  of,  amid 
curses  and  laughter  by  soldiers  in  different  moods, 
till  at  last  they  bivouacked  in  front  of  Yorktown,  on 
ground  over  which  the  water  was  actually  running. 
There  they  remained  for  three  days  before  the  supply 
trains  could  by  any  possibility  struggle  through  the 
mud  to  the  relief  of  soldiers  who  had  never  as  such 
known  want  of  food.  Many  times  it  had  been  said, 
"  Our  army  waste  daily  what  would  feed  two  in 
Europe." 

Many  Minnesota  boys  drooped  and  grew  des 
pondent  before  Yorktown.  Lieut.  Langmere  became 
really  ill  and  was  removed  to  the  hospital,  where 
Pomp  and  his  yellow  wife  proved  efficient  nurses,  and 
the  former,  that  he  was  not  above  a  bribe.  An  apt 
disciple  of  an  artful  man,  he  proved  also  that  a  clean 
white  heart  and  a  coal  black  face  were  not  always 
possessed  by  the  same  individual. 

"Tired  of  campaigning  on  the  peninsula"  said 
master,  said  man,  and  when  the  army  advanced  in 
pursuit  of  the  rebels  after  the  evacuation  of  York- 
town  they  were  left  behind  with  the  sick.  Let  us 
here  leave  that  armed  host  sweeping  on  to  victory  and 
fame,  to  watch  the  working  of  a  scheme  that  would 
have  done  justice  to  the  father  of  fraud  himself. 

Langmere's  ambition  had  always  been  to  live  with 
out  exertion.  Too  indolent  to  work  and  too  cowardly 


IN   THE    NET.  193 

for  a  good  soldier,  he  bethought  himself  of  a  plan 
whereby  he  might  insure  independence  without  eifort. 
He  had  satisfied  himself  of  the  unquestioned  wealth 
of  Alice  Meade  —  wealth  which  might  be  his  if  he 
could  secure  the  fulfilment  of  her  promise  to  be  his 
wife.  But  the  obstacle  in  the  way  of  this  consumma 
tion,  so  ardently  desired  for  mercenary  ends,  was  the 
difficulty  of  securing  it  without  revealing  the  decep 
tion  which  had  made  him  an  accepted  suitor.  How 
could  this  marriage  be  brought  about  without  her 
discovering  the  fact  that  the  face  she  loved  and  the 
name  of  Langmere  were  not  identical  ?  He  could 
not  visit  her  ;  that  step  would  be  a  fatal  one.  Finally 
he  wrote  thus  : 

BEFORE  YORKTOWN,  March  — ,  1862. 
MY  ADORED  ALICE: 

While  I  address  you,  my  heart  stands  still  with  very  anguish, 
and  only  justice  to  you  could  make  it  possible  for  my  pen  to  per. 
form  so  sad  a  duty.  I  have  been  fearfully  wounded;  the  harrow 
ing  particulars  I  will  not  give.  The  face  you  remember  is  hope 
lessly  disfigured ;  it  is  only  a  chance  that  I  preserve  my  eye-sight. 
I  will  not  claim  the  fulfilment  of  the  engagement  which  has 
blessed  the  last  few  months,  and  the  memory  of  which  will  make 
my  future  life  a  weary  blank.  I  am  going  now  to  a  private  hos 
pital —  that  of  Dr.  Bartholt,  in  Washington  —  for  treatment,  yet 
with  only  a  faint  hope  of  physical  restoration,  still  less  of  recov 
ery  from  the  horror  my  mirror  reveals.  I  will  not  deprive  myself 
of  that  which  shall  be  my  only  solace,  your  picture,  unless  you 
insist  upon  its  return  to  you.  I  am  now  but  a  physical  wreck, 
and  as  an  honorable  man  I  release  you,  my  best  beloved,  from  an 
engagement  wnich  now  would  doubtless  be  as  repulsive  to  you  as 
it  would  be  contemptible  in  me  to  insist  upon  it.  Your  name  will 
be  the  last  my  mortal  breath  shall  utter,  but  I  beg  you,  darling,  to 
iorget  forever  that  of  GEORGE  LANGMERE, 

ByB. 
N          9 


194:  MAPLE   RANGE. 

His  correspondence  with  her  had  revealed  to  him 
Alice's  true  character,  and,  as  he  expected,  his  letter 
only  fired  her  heart  with  greater  love.  With  an  ar 
dor  and  enthusiasm  she  had  never  permitted  herself 
to  reveal  in  any  former  letter,  she  wrote  : 

MY  LOVE: 

I  will  not  accept  your  release  from  an  engagement  which  was 
not  lightly  considered.  That  love  would  indeed  be  worthless,  if 
it  could  wane  when  a  blight  is  laid  upon  its  object.  True,  your 
face  first  inspired  in  my  heart  a  sentiment  that  has  grown  into  af 
fection,  into  love  that  will  cling  to  you  so  long  as  rebel  guns  leave 
enough  of  your  body  to  hold  your  generous  soul. 

I  am,  as  ever,  your  own  ALICE. 

Would  she  sit  now  with  folded  hands  and  wait, 
who  had  so  long  prayed  to  be  shown  her  work  in  this 
great  struggle.  Were  repose  and  idleness  for  her 
while  lives  as  precious  as  her  own  were  being  daily 
sacrificed  for  the  welfare  of  her  country  ?  No  ;  she 
would  go  to  him  and  bring  her  soldier  lover  back  to 
health  and  happiness.  She  had  health  and  strength, 
and  the  command  of  generous  coffers,  for  her  father 
had  grown  to  be  controlled  almost  entirely  by  her. 
Her  brother  was  now  in  the  army.  She  laid  the 
whole  matter  before  the  old  gentleman,  who  had  con 
ceived  an  enthusiasm  for  those  who  wore  the  Federal 
blue  almost  equal  to  her  own.  He  entered  into  the 
spirit  of  her  plan  at  once,  taking  every  measure  to 
hasten  its  execution.  The  old  housekeeper,  Mrs. 
Garret,  was  taken  into  the  council,  and  the  result 
was  immediate  preparation  and  speedy  departure  of 
the  three  for  Washington,  to  seek  Langmere. 

Arrived  in  that  city,  they  ascertained  the  retreat 


IN    THE    NET.  195 

of  Dr.  Bartholt,  and  were  soon  on  their  way  thither. 
It  was  eight  o'clock  in  the  evening  when  they  were 
set  down  at  the  door,  worn  out  with  rapid  travel  ;  but 
Alice  had  no  thought  but  for  her  suffering  lover,  and 
to  her  eager  questions  Dr.  Bartholt  replied : 

"Lieut.  Langmere  is  hopelessly  injured,  and  in 
deed  it  is  not  possible  for  any  lady,  except  she  be 
mother,  sister  or  wife,  to  see  him." 

Love  will  not  recognize  defeat.  Alice  proudly, 
and  yet  with  maidenly  blush,  replied  : 

"I  am  his  intended  wife,  sir,  and  as  such  I  claim 
the  right  to  go  to  him." 

The  doctor  bowed  respectfully  and  led  the  Avay  to 
the  room,  followed  by  Alice,  Mr.  Meade  and  Mrs. 
Garret,  but  turning,  he  stopped  them  at  the  door  and 
said  : 

' '  Is  this  other  lady  a  relative  of  the  lieutenant  ? " 

"No." 

"  Then  I  must  positively  forbid  her  entering,"  he 
said.  "  Pomp,  conduct  the  lady  to  the  sitting-room." 

A  look  of  intelligence  passed  between  the  doctor 
and  Pomp,  and  Mrs.  Garret  descended  with  the  lat 
ter,  while  Mr.  Meade  followed  his  daughter  into  a 
dimly-lighted  room.  Alice  dropped  like  a  snowflake 
beside  the  bed  whereon  this  deep-dyed  villain  lay. 
She  was  denied  a  look  upon  his  face,  but  she  took  his 
hand  in  both  hers  and  instinctively  felt  the  same 
loathing  that  always  affected  Herbert  at  the  touch  of 
that  hand.  How  she  took  herself  to  task  for  it,  as 
cribing  her  repugnance  to  her  love  and  regret  for  the 
face,  so  brilliantly  handsome  as  it  existed  in  her  mem 
ory,  and  now  disfigured  beyond  recognition. 


196  MAPLE    RANGE. 

"Is  this  my  heroism?"  she  said  to  herself.  "Is 
this  the  self-sacrifice  I  came  here  to  make?  Nay;  I 
have  come  up  to  the  mountain  to  slay  my  Isaac,  and 
now  I  will  neither  shudder  nor  go  back."  Kneeling 
there  she  poured  into  his  ear  her  loving  sympathy, 
and,  as  he  had  dared  to  hope  she  would,  proposed 
an  immediate  marriage,  that  her  care  of  him  might 
be  entirely  devoted  and  unembarrassed.  The  cir 
cumstances  must  excuse  the  haste  ;  but  whatever 
the  world  might  say,  she  was  resolved  to  marry 
him  at  once,  and  thus  immediately  set  at  rest  all  con 
siderations  of  delicacy  and  propriety.  To  her  inex 
perience  he  seemed  to  require  the  most  devoted 
nursing,  and  Mrs.  Garret,  who  would  have  known 
better,  had  been  prudently  excluded  from  the  sick 
room.  Dr.  Bartholt's  complicity  had  been  secured  by 
the  promise  of  a  large  reward,  if  the  plan  succeeded. 
He  had  taken  the  precaution  to  send  for  a  clergyman, 
who  was  then  in  the  parlor,  it  being  understood  that 
if  the  plan  failed,  he  would  be  taken  to  visit  the 
patient,  as  though  that  were  the  real  object  of  his 
being  summoned. 

Pomp,  who  stood  without,  was  sent  to  request  the 
clergymen's  attendance.  When  he  came  in  he  was 
informed  in  a  hurried  whisper  of  the  request  of  the 
lady,  still  weeping  and  pleading  with  her  lover,  who 
seemed  so  loath  to  grant  her  wish,  for  reasons,  appar 
ently  most  noble.  Afterwards  she  remembered  that 
his  consent  at  last  was  sudden,  saying  : 

"As  you  will,  my  darling.'1 

The  clergyman  took  her  to  a  window  in  the  dim 
lit  room  and  questioned  her  closely,  she  thought 


IN   THE   NET.  197 

almost  impertinently,  regarding  her  knowledge  of 
the  person  she  wished  him  to  unite  her  with. 

"Pardon  me,  madam,"  he  said,  "but  you  are 
about  to  convey  to  another  the  supreme  right  to 
yourself  as  well  as  your  estate,  and  should  be  very 
sure  that  his  principles  are  worthy  and  pure  ;  for 
most  surely  your  happiness  will  be  forever  wrecked, 
should  you  discover  when  his  wife,  that  they  are  not 
such  as  you  desire  to  find  in  you-r  husband.  The 
world,  dear  madam,  is  full  of  deceit,  and  your  per 
sonal  acquaintance,  I  understand,  is  very  limited." 

"I  have  long  corresponded  with  him,"  she  said, 
"  and  have  had  many  evidences  of  his  worth  and 
truthfulness.  His  release  of  me  after  a  long  engage 
ment,  owing  to  his  terrible  misfortune,  would  be 
sufficient  to  indicate  a  noble  heart.  Oh,  sir,  if  you 
could  have  seen  his  face  before  this  happened,  you 
would  not  so  question  me  now.  A  more  perfect  mir 
ror  of  manly  truth  could  not  exist  He  does  not 
want  me  to  marry  him,  but  I  will.  It  is  my  proposal, 
for  only  the  strictest  care  will  save  his  life,  and  I 
must  be  able  to  nurse  him  as  only  a  wife  can.  Surely 
there  is  no  shame,  nothing  unmaidenly,  in  this  devo 
tion  to  one  who  loves  me,  and  has  been  nearly  slain 
in  the  defense  of  my  country.  My  faith  in  him  is 
implicit;  please  do  not  keep  me  longer  from  my  pur 
pose  to  become  his  wife,  for  Lieut.  Langmere  is  very 
low  indeed." 

They  returned  to  the  bedside,  where  she  again 
took  his  hand,  and  the  ceremony  proceeded,  she  mak 
ing  the  usual  responses,  which,  she  supposed,  he 
was  too  feeble  to  utter,  without  a  faltering  voice. 


198  MAPLE   RANGE. 

Never  were  marriage  vows  spoken  more  freely  and 
joyfully  than  by  this  woman — so  strangely  mated. 
Was  it  to  wreck  and  ruin  or  even  death  ?  Her  coun 
tenance  beamed  with  a  glorious  light.  Even  as  mar 
tyrs  may  look,  so  looked  Alice  Meade,  standing  by 
that  bed.  A  lovely  bride  for  any  man  to  worship. 
Her  eyes  were  full  of  tender  love.  The  feeble  lamp 
light  was  reflected  in  her  beautifully  glossy  hair,  as  she 
bowed  her  head  to  receive  the  clerical  benediction. 
It  was  pitiful  to  see  such  youth  and  grace  and  sweet 
ness  united  to  the  woe  and  misery  represented  by 
that  man,  now,  to  all  appearances,  a  shapeless  horror. 
The  clergyman  felt  it. 

Langmere's  face  was  entirely  covered,  as  well  as 
the  close  shaven  head,  with  the  patches  of  black 
court  plaster ;  the  shapeless  nose  being  cunningly 
disguised,  and  the  whole  shape  of  head  and  face  ren 
dered  quite  irrecognizable  by  bandages,  judiciously 
disposed.  He  did  not  speak  much,  and  only  in 
whispers,  lest  she  should  detect  his  voice.  Her 
father  stood  beside  them,  thus  giving  his  solemn 
sanction,  during  the  ceremony ;  and  when  the  final 
words  were  pronounced,  "What  God  has  joined  to 
gether  let  no  man  put  asunder,"  he  earnestly  re- 
ponded,  "Amen." 

Mr.  Meade  was  very  weary,  and  after  being 
shown  to  a  room,  where  supper  was  served  for  him 
self,  Alice  and  Mrs.  Garret,  there  he  remained  to  rest, 
his  daughter  returning  to  the  sick  room,  and  Mrs.  Gar 
ret  retiring  for  the  night.  All  night  the  bride  sat  there, 
beside  him  who  had  deceived  her  more  basely  than 
had  Eden's  serpent,  the  first  of  her  sex. 


IN   THE   NET.  199 

All  night,  as  devotees  of  old  guarded  the  shrine 
of  their  idols,  heeding  neither  weariness  nor  pain. 

Then  followed  days  of  watching,  reading,  minis 
tering  to  him  she  could  not  even  touch  without  an  inde 
scribable  repugnance,  a  something  within  her  which 
she  could  not  name,  but  which  she  had  not  been  able 
to  overcome.  So  it  was  that  his  polluting  lips  never 
even  touched  her  own.  How  thankfully  afterwards 
did  she  recall  this  fact,  which  had  preserved  her  as  pure 
as  if  still  un wedded.  Her  devotion  rendered  the  task 
of  deception  doubly  difficult,  the  doctor  and  Pomp 
using  the  greatest  care  and  precaution,  to  prevent  the 
outcropping  of  red  hair,  or  the  displacement  of  the 
false  bridge  on  the  nose,  which  was  adjusted  every 
time  the  young  wife  could  be  induced  to  give  the 
operators  a  clear  coast.  Pomp's  wife  was  helpful,  too, 
in  the  conspiracy,  not  that  she  was  ever  trusted  with 
all  the  details  of  the  case,  for  Langmere  had  said: 

"Give  a  woman  a  secret  to  keep,  and  she  will 
make  such  an  extraordinary  effort  to  do  so,  that  she 
will  be  all  the  more  sure  to  reveal  it.  She  don't  take 
the  matter  free  and  easy  as  a  man  does,  but  looks  so 
mysterious  and  knowing,  that  she  soon  reveals  her 
knowledge  by  the  very  efforts  she  makes  to  show  her 
ignornance. " 

Dinah,  however,  did  know  more  than  had  been  con 
fided  her,  for  she  possessed  the  rare  gift  of  weaving 
long  discourses  out  of  short  texts.  When  she  saw 
Langmere's  disguise  she  feigned  to  accept  the  simple 
reason  given  her  by  Pomp,  but  silently  drew  her  own 
conclusions,  which  sundry  peeps  at  the  keyhole  had 
confirmed. 


200  MAPLE   EANGE. 

She  was  touched  with  pity  for  the  lovely  bride, 
sitting  there  in  that  darkened  room,  watching  for 
very  love  the  man,  who,  for  some  unexplained  pur 
pose,  was  practising  a  wicked  deception  ;  and  she 
resolved  to  enlighten  his  victim. 

Her  purpose  to  acquaint  Alice  with  the  disguise 
worn  by  Langmere.  was  sooner  executed  than  she 
at  first  supposed  possible.  She  accidentally  encount 
ered  Mrs.  Garret,  who,  hearing  that  she  was  one  of 
the  servants  of  Lieut.  Langmere,  at  once  plied  her 
with  many  questions  in  reference  to  the  man  in  whom 
she  now,  naturally,  felt  additional  interest,  height 
ened  by  the  fact  of  being  still  excluded  from  his 
room,  and  told  she  could  not  see  him. 

It  happened  early  in  the  morning  of  the  day  set 
for  the  return  to  Ohio  of  Mr.  Meade  and  Mrs.  Gar 
ret,  it  having  been  arranged  that  Alice  should  follow 
with  her  invalid  husband  as  soon  as  he  could  be 
moved,  the  doctor  and  Pomp  to  accompany  them. 
Mrs.  Garret  had  come  up  into  the  hall  that  led  to  the 
sick  room,  for  the  first  time  since  the  night  of  her 
repulse.  She  felt  lonely  in  view  of  leaving  Alice, 
who  had  been  her  charge  many,  many  years — ever 
since  her  mother  slept  the  sleep  that  knows  no  wak 
ing,  A  kind,  faithful  heart  beat  in  the  bosom  of  the 
old  English  housekeeper,  and  clung  to  the  young 
girl  tenderly,  and  with  tears  in  her  eyes  she  told 
Dinah  how  sorry  she  was  to  go  home  and  leave  her. 

"  Even  with  her  own  'usband ;  who  after  hall  might 
'ave  a  temper,  and  be  'arsh  to  Miss  Hallice." 

"Not  till  he  gets  a  good  hold  of  her  money,  I 
reckon,"  said  Dinah. 


IN  THE   NET.  201 

"Why,  'as n't  'e  plenty  o'  money  'isself." 

"  O,  I  don't  know,  but  I  most  guess  he  is  playin' 
some  game,  along  of  wearin'  the  m  patches  on  a  well 
face.  Can  't  tell  ye  what,  but  I'm  powerful  'fraid  of 
men  that  put  on  sickness,  and  do  n't  even  stand  up  to 
git  married." 

"  Do  n't  you  think  'e  is  sick." 

"No,  I  don't  now,  he  was  before  we  left  Yorktown, 
but  he  can  eat  as  hearty  a  meal  as  me,  gets  up  when 
Miss  Alice  is  gone  and  jumps  and  exercises  to  kill." 

"Well,  I  want  to  see  this  dangerously  sick  man. 
Is  the  doctor  in  ? " 

"No,  he  has  gone  down  town." 

"  Good !  You  open  that  door  and  let  me  in,  Dinah, 
or  I  shall  burst  it." 

Dinah  opened  the  door  and  the  old  lady  passed 
into  the  room.  Alice  and  her  father  were  discussing 
some  details  concerning  their  departure.  She  walked 
around  to  the  head  of  the  bed  by  the  window,  whose 
heavy  brocatelle  hangings  she  dexterously  looped  up 
to  one  side,  letting  the  sunlight  fall  full  upon  the  bed, 
saying : 

"Sick  folks  and  flowers  oughter  to  '  ave  plenty  o ' 
sunshine,  and  deary  me  '  ow  they  do  bundle  you  up. 
Wat's  the  use  of  wearing  all  them  patches  on  yer 
face?  O,  I  can  tell  by  yer  pulse  w'at's  best  for  ye. 
Fresh  air  for '  ippocrits,  I  say,"  and  as  she  spoke  these 
words  and  before  any  one  could  interpose,  she  tore  off 
the  carefully  arranged  disguise,  leaving  bare  the  red 
head,  the  freckled  face,  and  the  miserable  pug  nose! 

Cold  as  ice,  immobile  as  a  statue,  Alice  stood  gaz-_ 
ing  at  that  face,  without  a  scar  and  a  stranger's. 


202  MAPLE   RANGE. 

Natures  such  as  hers  do  not  give  way  to  violent  emo 
tions.  For  some  time  she  looked  at  him,  then  with 
unfaltering  voice  she  said : 

"Who  are  you?" 

"The  husband  you  would  marry  despite  his  wishes 
to  the  contrary,  madam." 

"  Where  is  the  man  you  have  personated  ?  " 

"Dead." 

"At  your  hand?" 

"Do  men  usually  plead  guilty  to  the  charge  of 
murder  ? " 

"  Whatever  your  object  may  have  been  in  devising 
the  scheme  by  which  you  have  deceived  me,  I  warn 
you  never  to  venture  to  approach  me." 

"You  are  my  wife  and  as  such  I  will  proclaim  you 
before  the  world." 

"  You  dare  not !  A  wife  only  through  your  forgery 
of  another's  name  and  through  your  base  deceit,  I  will 
meet  proclamation  with  proclamation,"  said  Alice. 

"  Who  most  loves  notoriety  will  suffer  least,"  said 
Langmere,  coolly. 

That  was  true !  She  felt  its  truth,  as  did  her  father. 
Yes,  Langmere,  villain  as  he  was,  what  would  he  care 
for  notoriety  ? 

"Will  money  be  any  object  to  you?"  said  Mr. 
Meade. 

"  If  handsomely  counted  out  I  might  consider  the 
blight  upon  my  affections  less,"  said  Langmere,  with  a 
mocking  laugh.  "I  have  some  expenses  to  meet,  grow 
ing  out  of  my  recent  confinement,  as  well  as  a  doctor's 
bill." 

His  tone  throughout  was  a  jesting  one,  even  as  he 


IN   THE   NET.  203 

heaped  insults  upon  the  venerable  head  that  had  gath 
ered  nearly  all  its  portion  of  honor  and  of  years.  Mr. 
Meade  now  saw  plainly  the  kind  of  adventurer  he  had 
to  deal  with,  and  said  : 

' '  I  will  give  you  one  thousand  dollars  a  year,  the 
first  installment  to-day,  and  the  same  on  each  anniver 
sary  of  this  day,  to  secure  your  silence  and  separation 
from  my  daughter.  A  word  from  you  or  an  attempt 
to  visit  her  will  stop  your  annuity  and  I  will  risk  every 
dollar  I  have  in  the  world  to  place  you  in  your  most 
suitable  home,  a  dungeon." 

"I  accept  your  terms,  sir,  for  the  present,  reserv 
ing  to  myself  the  knowledge  of  the  moment  when  I 
may  risk  the  alternative.  Alice — 

"  Not  one  word  to  her  ! "  said  the  old  man,  sternly. 
"She  is  now  as  far  removed  from  you  as  the  stars." 
He  took  his  daughter's  hand,  and  followed  by  Mrs. 
Garret,  left  the  room  and  almost  immediately  the 
house.  In  a  few  hours'  time  Mr.  Meade  had  returned, 
paid  the  doctor's  exorbitant  demands,  made  arrange 
ments  at  the  bank,  interviewed  the  clergyman  who 
had  so  reluctantly  performed  his  part  in  the  miserable 
drama,  and  then  the  trio  turned  their  faces  home 
ward. 

It  was  in  the  leafy,  luxuriant  month  of  June,  when 
nature  is  at  her  gladdest  that  they  returned  to  their 
rose-bowered  home,  situated  on  the  green  bank  that 
slopes  gently  down  to  the  river,  sparkling  in  the  light 
and  heavenly  blue.  Beautiful  river,  thou  shalt  never 
tell  the  secret  confided  thee,  the  tears  and  prayers,  and 
the  long  vigil  of  renunciation  upon  thy  mossy  bank. 
How  many  times  at  eve  a  lovely  woman  sought  thy 


204  MAPLE   RANGE. 

shores,  there  to  weep  and  moan,  and  to  lovingly  dwell 
upon  the  memory  of  him  whose  image  was  ever  in  her 
heart,  but  who  seemed  lost  to  her  forever. 

After  her  tears  and  grief  had  in  part  subsided 
there  would  steal  into  her  soul  a  strange  comfort,  a 
soothing  thought  of  God  and  His  tender  mercies  and 
she  whispered,  "Though  He  slay  me  yet  will  I  trust 
in  Him." 

As  shines  the  moon  o'er  distant  hills, 
And- breezes  fan  with  gentle  wing, 
hisper  oft  her  spirit  thrills, 
Still  fraught  with  earthly  comforting. 


THE   MASSACRE.  205 


CHAPTEE    VIII. 

THE   MASSACRE. 

"Also  when  they  shall  be  afraid  of  that  which  Is  high,  and  fear  shall  be  In  the 
way,  and  the  almond  tree  shall  flourish,  and  the  grasshopper  shall  be  a  burden,  and 
desire  shall  fall,  because  man  goeth  to  his  long  home  and  the  mourners  go  about 
the  streets." — ECCLESIASTES. 

MORE  than  a  year  has  passed  away — more  than  a 
year  of  sorrow,  pain  and  death,  and  here  we 
meet  again  on  the  woody  banks  of  the  Waubece. 
Change,  the  twin  brother  of  Time,  has  reveled  here  in 
the  interim.  Though  every  scene  is  still  familiar,  the 
faces  of  our  old  friends  are  not  as  much  so.  Look 
through  this  cottage  window  !  See  this  one  bent  over 
her  work  !  Yes — lines  new-graven  mark  the  brow  of 
dear,  chatty  little  Mrs.  Ellis.  Her  face  has  lost  some 
of  its  fulness,  yet  she  is  still  very  pretty.  Let  us  drop 
in  and  hear  her  good-natured  accounts  of  people  and 
things,  for  we  know  that  she  will  give  us  all  the  news 
and  that  free  from  the  slightest  taint  of  ill-natured 
gossip.  Pause  a  moment.  Listen  to  her  low,  sweet 
song. as  she  rocks  the  cradle  where  her  fine  rosy  boy 
is  sleeping.  She  speaks  sadly  of  Herbert  who  has 
never  been  heard  of  since  the  battle  of  Bull  Run, 
though  from  Lieutenant  Langmere,  now  home  on  a 
furlough,  she  hopes  to  hear  tidings  of  that  brother  so 
loved  and  regretted. 

Of  her  husband,  she  speaks  proudly,  lovingly,  for 


206  MAPLE   RANGE. 

he  has  been  the  deserving  recipient  of  honor  and  pro 
motion.  His  soldierly  bearing  and  gallant  conduct 
have  secured  him  the  command  of  the  company,  yet 
mingled  with  her  joy  is  the  sad  thought  that  he  now 
wears  the  epaulets  which  once  graced  Herbert's  shoul 
der.  His  last  letter  was  brighter  for  the  promise  it 
contained:  "Perhaps  this  month,  perhaps  next,  my 
Kitty,  I  will  fold  you  to  my  heart,  and  take  my  boys 
again  upon  my  knee." 

The  house  is  literally  hidden  in  rose  bushes  and 
vines,  and  with  its  snowy  curtains,  bright  carpets  and 
tasteful  furniture,  one  can  imagine  how  grateful 't  will 
be  to  him  who  so  long  has  known  no  dwelling  save 
the  tented  field. 

Mrs.  Ellis  drops  a  tear  upon  her  sewing  as  she  tells 
of  the  patient  sufferings  and  peaceful  falling  asleep  of 
saintly  Mrs."  Center.  How  her  affectionate  spirit  lin 
gered  long  in  the  hope  of  tidings  from  her  wandering 
husband,  or  his  possible  return  from  his  mysterious 
mission  ;  how  at  last  her  drooping  head  was  supported 
tenderly  upon  her  father's  breast.  He  had  heard  in  Chi 
cago  of  her  illness,  and  came  on,  hoping  to  take  her  back 
with  him.  He  carried  back  only  the  clay  that  had 
held  the  imperishable  soul  which,  chastened  and  puri 
fied  by  sorrow,  had  now  gone  up  for  ever  to  its  eternal 
home  beyond  the  skies.  The  last  months  of  her  life 
had  been  spent  at  Mr.  Maynard's,  where  she  was  made 
as  welcome  as  though  in  her  father's  house  ;  where 
loving  sympathy  had  been  lavished  upon  her  and  she 
was  made  to  feel  that  the  ties  of  relationship  were  not 
needed  to  ensure  the  care  which  her  waning  life 
demanded.  So  it  was  with  many  another  who,  having 


THE   MASSACRE.  207 

left  home  and  kindred  in  the  East,  found  on  the 
Western  frontier  friends  as  true  and  loving,  though 
oft  bearing  strange  names  and  hailing  from  distant 
lands.  Little  Carlos  had  gone  with  his  grandfather 
and  the  silent  remains  of  his  mother  to  Chicago,  leav 
ing  Nellie,  who  had  been  so  good  a  friend,  with  a  sad 
heart.  Nothing  had  ever  been  heard  of  Charles  Cen 
ter.  Some  believed  he  had  committed  suicide ;  others 
that  he  had  -entered  the  Confederate  army.  Some 
where,  perhaps,  a  stern,  cold  man  was  wandering,  in 
whose  inmost  soul  there  was  a  longing  to  behold  her 
once  more,  who  had  ever  manifested  such  pitying  love 
for  him  in  his  wayward  moods.  Sometimes,  perhaps, 
those  eyes  grew  dim  with  moisture,  when  remorse  for 
his  unkindness  to  her  forced  him  to  remember,  or 
when  a  chance  bird-note  recalled  the  tones  of  the  child 
ish  voice  that  called  him  ' '  papa. "  Ah  !  had  not  some 
kind  angel  borne  to  him  his  wife's  expiring  sigh, 
which  was  a  prayer  for  her  erring  husband.  The 
men,  old  and  young,  are  nearly  all  away.  Some 
have  enlisted  very  recently,  among  them  Wilson 
and  his  two  sons.  "The  draft  "is  the  nightmare 
of  the  whole  country,  in  spite  of  the  three  hundred 
dollar  clause,  from  Maine  to  the  Pacific.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Cross  have  accepted  it  as  a  personal  griev 
ance,  in  that  they  have  not  the  amount  about  them 
in  loose  change,  and  their  Tommy  has  been  compelled 
to  enlist  in  order  to  escape  conscription.  'Lizbeth  is 
not  happy  in  the  absence  of  her  young  husband. 
Last  Autumn  she  accepted  attentions  from  Lang- 
mere,  who  was  a  short  time  at  home,  which  gave 
not  a  little  scandal.  Marriage  and  grass-widowhood 


208  MAPLE   RANGE. 

had  not  entirely  destroyed  the  germ  of  coquetry  in 
her  nature,  but  it  was  a  satisfaction  to  know  that  Gus 
—trusting  and  worshipful  Gus — would  never  hear  of 
it.  In  all  the  settlement  there  was  not  one  who 
would  enlighten  him,  for,  excepting  her  own  mother, 
malice  had  no  disciple,  and  for  once  she  had  no  desire 
to  air  her  knowledge. 

Jehial  Smith's  wife  had  not  remained  a  widow 
long.  Two  weeks  after  the  news  of  his  death  was 
received,  with  her  stillborn  babe  upon  her  bosom,  she 
was  buried  near  the  pleasant  new  log  house,  whose 
doors  and  windows  are  now  boarded  up.  The  path 
is  overgrown  with  long  grass.  In  the  midst  of  the 
desolation  that  hangs  about  the  place,  we  can  recall 
the  morning  when  the  soldiers  halted  here  to  speak 
their  final  farewell,  and  we  hear  Belinda's  cheerful 
voice  saying  : 

"Keep  up  good  spirits,  Hie,  our  parting  will  not 
be  long.1' 

Mr.  Maynard's  old  log  residence  has  given  place 
to  a  handsome,  substantial  frame  house.  Through 
the  aspiring  maples  that  shade  the  croquet  grounds 
and  guard  the  house  like  giant  sentinels,  the  afternoon 
wind  sobs  with  a  low  wail,  while  the  setting  sun  stains 
the  clouds  a  deep  red.  Are  these  prophetic  ?  these 
crimson  clouds,  this  wailing  wind.  The  farmhouse 
has  settled  down  into  a  peaceful  after-tea  quiet.  The 
blinds  of  the  westeriuvindows  in  the  long  dining  room 
are  closed,  and  the  room  is  refreshingly  cool  after  the 
hot  glare.  Mr.  Maynard  and  his  wife  sit  beside  the 
vine-covered  window  that  reaches  nearly  to  the  floor. 
They  are  now  looked  upon  as  elderly  people,  yet  the 


THE   MASSACRE.  209 

lady's  brown  hair  half  dares  to  curl  out  of  its  staid 
confinement  of  long  comb  and  matronly  cap,  and  the 
fair,  full  face  is  rosy  and  beautiful  yet,  in  spite  of 
ungallant  years.  In  her  plump  white  hand  she  holds 
an  open  letter,  at  which  she  glances,  though  at  the 
same  time  listening  to  her  husband  who  is  still  "  a  fine 
old  English  gentleman."  Now  he  takes  the  letter 
from  her  hand,  and  glancing  through  it  himself,  says  : 

"This  is  Saturday.  Robbie  will  be  here  to-night. 
Do  n't  you  think,  mother,  I  had  better  go  with  him  on 
Monday  when  he  returns  to  his  regiment  ?  We  have 
such  efficient  help  now.  I  want  to  keep  sight  of  the 
dear  boy  as  long  as  possible,  and  if  money  will  make 
the  stormy  military  road  easier  for  his  following, 
money  shall  be  used.  Of  his  courage  there  is  no 
doubt ;  it  has  been  measured  by  too  many  tests  in 
our  frontier  life.  His  trials  will  now  be  of  physical 
endurance  and  military  discipline.  I  am  very  anxious 
to  procure  him  a  commission." 

"You  seem  to  forget,  father,"  said  Mrs.  Ma}*nard, 
"that  he  is  now  essentially  American.  Let  him 
work  his  way  up,  in  the  democratic  manner,  if  he 
wishes.  All  his  life  we  have  sought  to  impress  upon 
him  the  duty  of  self-dependence,  and  we  must  not  let 
our  overweening  tenderness  and  solicitude  now  induce 
us  to  belie  our  teaching.  Go  with  him,  certainly,  if 
you  can  ;  provide  whatever  will  add  to  his  comfort, 
but  let  him  win  his  commission  himself.  I  am  so 
glad  he  comes  to-night.  My  heart  has  been  heavy  all 
day,  realizing  more  and  more,  as  I  do,  that  though 
our  life  here  is  so  peaceful,  at  this  very  moment  a 

O          9* 


210  MAPLE   RANGE. 

cruel  war  is  waging,  homes  are  desolated  and  hearts 
are  breaking." 

While  she  spoke,  Nellie  had  come  softly  into  the 
room,  and  seating  herself  on  a  low  stool  at  Mrs.  May- 
nard's  feet  and  laying  her  arm  upon  her  knee,  now 
looked  fondly  up  into  her  face.  A  light  caressing 
hand  was  laid  upon  her  snowy  shoulder  and  the 
mother  continued, 

"By  the  way,  father,  I  wish  to  go  over  to  Mr. 
Palmer's  to-night.  Can  you  take  me  now  ? " 

"  I  '11  drive  you  over  there  at  once." 

"I  won't  be  driven,"  replied  his  wife,  smiling. 
"  Moral  suasion  is  vastly  more  agreeable  to  me." 

"Very  well;  you  shall  have  moral  suasion,  and 
the  horse  shall  be  driven,"  he  says,  leaving  the  room 
to  order  out  the  carriage. 

The  mother  bends  over  the  sweet  girl  seated  at 
her  knee,  and  placing  both  hands  lovingly  about  her 
neck,  says  : 

"Nellie,  Cloe  has  made  everything  ready  in  broth 
er's  room.  If  Mrs.  Palmer's  baby  is  no  better  I  may 
remain  all  night,  and  you  must  welcome  him  when 
he  comes,  and  then  go  to  rest  early.  To-morrow  is 
Robbie's  last  Sabbath  at  home.  It  will  be  to  him  and 
us  both  a  memorable  day.  We  must  prepare  our 
selves  to  live  much  in  those  few  hours,  the  last  we 
will  spend  together  for  so  long — perhaps  forever." 

"O  mother,  that  is  such  a  sad  thought !  To-day 
I  noticed  the  purple  wild  flowers  that  Robbie  and  I 
have  cultivated  where  they  grew  on  the  prairie,  are 
all  in  bloom.  When  you  leave  I  will  get  some  to  put 


THE   MASSACRE.  211 

in  his  room  in  the  little  vase  he  teases  me  so  about. 
I  will  place  them  near  his  bedside  on  the  stand  by  the 
lamp,  so  he  will  not  fail  to  see  them.  But  there  is 
father  at  the  gate  with  old  Deacon  and  the  buggy." 

Mother  and  daughter  walk  down  through  the 
grove  to  where  Mr.  Maynard  stands,  whip  in  hand. 

"Going,  too,  Pet?"  he  says,  so  tenderly  that  you 
discern  "tears  in  his  voice,"  as  was  said  of  Rubina. 

"No,  father,  I  came  down  to  kiss  you  good-night." 

The  kisses  of  both  father  and  mother  are  fervently 
bestowed  upon  that  pale,  sweet  face,  and  Nellie  is  go 
ing  back  to  the  house,  but  turning  suddenly  she  cries: 
"Wait  a  minute,"  and  tripping  down  swiftly  to  the 
gate  she  climbs  upon  the  carriage  step  like  a  child, 
woman  though  she  now  is,  saying  : 

"I  must  kiss  you  both  again,  one  kiss  was  not 
enough,  the  nights  are  so  long." 

Mr.  Maynard  lays  his  hand  upon  the  rich  golden 
curls,  while  a  tear  unbidden  rolls  down  his  cheek  as  he 
gives  his  child  the  coveted  kiss.  A  feeling  of  appre 
hension  fills  her  mother's  heart ;  Nellie's  face  is  held 
in  both  her  hands,  and  fond  kisses  are  pressed  upon 
her  lips  and  brow  as  she  falters  through  her  tears : 

"Good-night,  my  child.     God  keep  you." 

As  they  drive  away  she  says  : 

"Father,  I  think  Robbie's  enlisting  has  made  us 
all  a  little  nervous." 

"Yes,"  he  replies.  "But  I  am  always  nervous 
about  my  little  Nell ;  she  seems  so  frail,  so  in  need  of 
constant  protection,  still  a  child  in  spite  of  her 
years ! " 


212  MAPLE   RANGE. 

Nellie,  now  evidently  satisfied,  goes  slowly  toward 
the  house,  watching  the  carriage  till  it  is  lost  to  view 
by  a  dip  in  the  road  at  the  foot  of  the  grove.  Then 
she  says  to  herself,  regretfully  : 

"There,  why  did  I  look  so  long?  My  old  English 
nurse  used  to  say  that  bad  luck  was  sure  to  overtake 
people  if  you  watch  them  out  of  sight.  But  old  Dea 
con  is  steady.  Father  is  strong,  mother  watchful  and, 
well,  and  all  of  them  so  good.  I  am  sure  nothing  can 
happen  them." 

She  stops  now  beside  the  graveled  walk  to  tie 
back  a  recreant  bunch  of  roses  that  caught  in  her 
dress,  stooping  to  inhale  the  delicious  fragrance  with 
long-drawn  inspirations,  then  she  steps  upon  the  porch 
where  lies  old  Hector,  superannuated  and  lame.  Him 
she  fondles  and  pets  while  he  wags  his  great  black 
shaggy  tail  so  earnestly  as  to  move  his  whole  body  at 
every  wag.  One  earnest  thoughtful  look  she  turns 
upon  the  sun,  just  setting  in  gorgeous  clouds,  shading 
her  eyes  with  her  hand.  Then  passing  into  the  hall 
and  on  to  her  own  room,  she  lifts  a  vase  from  the 
table  regarding  it  a  moment  with  a  smile.  With  it  in 
her  hand  she  passes  through  the  house  again  arid  out 
through  the  kitchen  door,  taking  a  path  that  leads  to 
the  open  prairie,  her  favorite  walk. 

By  the  side  of  the  dairy  house  bubbles  up  a  beau 
tiful  spring,  whose  waters  are  conducted  by  a  pipe 
into  the  building  where  they  spread  a  cool  running 
carpet  over  the  smooth  stone  floor.  There  is  a  rich 
gurgling  sound  where  they  collect  again  in  a  little  cas 
cade  at  the  south  end  and  fall  in  a  rivulet  that  threads 


THE   MASSACRE.  213 

its  melodious  way  through  the  clover  and  short  lawn 
grass  down  toward  Dimple  Run.  Placing  the  vase  in 
the  bushes,  and  dipping  her  hand  in  the  waters,  she 
scatters  pearls  of  moisture  over  the  grass,  singing 
meanwhile  in  her  low  sweet  voice,  an  old  fashioned 
hymn.  Hark  !  "I  love  to  steal  a  while  away— 

A  heavy  blow  breaks  off  the  melody  and  fells  her 
to  the  earth.  A  tall  painted  savage  stands  over  her, 
brandishing  his  hatchet,  a  hideous  ghoul-like  form. 

Now  from  the  ambush  starts  a  hidden  foe,  while 
there  rings  out  upon  the  air  a  succession  of  unearthly 
yells.  It  seems  as  if  mother  earth  had  suddenly, 
without  premonitory  moan,  brought  forth  a  demoniac 
legion,  and  pandemonium  greets  their  birth  with 
shrieks.  From  grass  and  bush  and  sheltering  tree,  a 
wild  swarm  teems  forth.  A  mad  impetuous  horde  of 
savages,  each  wielding  a  deadly  weapon.  The  sun  has 
dropped  from  view,  leaving  in  the  heavens  a  trail  of 
blood-stained  clouds  and  amid  the  scene  of  peaceful 
happiness  tipped  by  its  last  rays,  real  blood  now  flows. 
Every  human  being  that  breathed  so  recently  beneath 
the  friendly  maples  is  numbered  now  with  the  silent 
dead.  Two  farm  hands  as  they  sat  at  the  kitchen 
door,  another  bringing  in  either  hand  a  pail  of  foam 
ing  milk.  Faithful  Cloe  lies  in  the  pantry  scalped. 
The  dairy  maid,  Mary,  fell  while  placing  a  glass  of 
milk  in  a  pan  of  ice  for  Nellie.  And  just  where  a 
little  white  hand  lay  ten  minutes  ago  the  brutal 
hatchet  has  cleft  the  brain  of  poor  old  Hector. 

Not  a  moment  has  been  wasted  in  the  fiendish 
butchery,  every  stroke  has  counted,  every  thrust  has 


214:  MAPLE   RANGE. 

told.  In  their  haste  to  follow  the  carriage  the  Indians 
have  seen  depart,  they  neglect  the  mutilation  of  their 
victims,  the  wanton  destruction  of  property  which 
usually  marks  the  closing  scene  of  their  murderous 
visits  on  the  frontier. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Maynard  chatted  pleasantly  as 
they  rode  along,  till  within  a  few  yards  of  the  dwell 
ing  of  the  neighbor  they  came  to  serve,  their  noble 
career  of  usefulness  was  ruthlessly  ended.  Like  a 
furious  tempest  the  whole  mad  troop  swept  down 
upon  them,  as  steady  old  Deacon  jogged  along. 
Mock-ane-sah,  the  long-time  friend,  whose  ear  had 
been  poisoned  by  untruthful  reports,  stepped  up  be 
side  the  buggy  and  placing  his  piece  by  Mr.  May- 
nard's  ear.  as  he  walked  along,  said : 

"  Mock-aue-sah  has  seen  that  the  white  man  whom 
he  trusted,  has  two  tongues.  His  young  men  hanged 

C3  \J  o  O 

the  only  son,  the  staff  of  one  who  hurries  to  the 
grave,  and  said  :  '  Our  ravens  shall  feed  upon  the  car 
cass  of  the  Indian  dog.'  But  the  lying  white  man 
shall  die,  and  his  squaw  shall  ride  with  him,  so." 

Discharging  his  gun,  he  stepped  back,  giving  the 
command  not  to  harm  Mrs.  Maynard,  but  another 
bullet  had  sped  simultaneously  with  his  own,  and  thus 
hand  in  hand  they  crossed  the  eternal  threshold,  still 
united  even  in  death.  The  lifeless  forms  mutually 
supporting  each  other  were  thus  borne  over  the  road 
which  old  Deacon  knew  well.  Ben  sat  with  his  wife 
beside  the  cradle  of  their  sick  child  watching  the  heavy 
slumber,  from  which  they  knew  it  would  awaken 
with  t^">  promise  of  returning  health  or  immediate 


THE    MASSACRE.  215 

death.  The  strong  man  took  the  soft  hand  of  the 
weeping  woman  in  his  own,  stroking  it  as  he  said : 

"  Poor  wife,  this  is  very  hard  for  you,  to  see  your 
child  suffer  so  ;  you  are  worn  out  with  long  care  and 
watching.  Go,  dear,  and  try  to  get  some  rest  while 
Freddie  sleeps.  Miannetta  and  I  will  watch  his 
breathing,  and  if  the  slightest  change  occurs,  we  will 
call  you." 

"I  know,  Ben,  you  say  this  with  the  kindest 
feeling,  but  it  would  be  cruel  to  urge  me  to  leave  him 
for  a  moment.  I  do  not  doubt  Miannetta's  skill,  and 
if  Freddie  lives,  her  hand  will  have  saved  him.  But 
oh,  Ben,  I  can  not  think  of  rest ;  I  can  not  leave  the 
cradle  of  my  precious  little  one  now. " 

The  sobs  that  burst  from  her  bosom  were  drowned 
by  a  savage  yell.  The  fiends  had  crept  to  the  very 
door,  and  the  dark  throng  instantly  filled  the  room. 
One  moment  and  a  tomahawk  was  buried  in  Ben 
Palmer's  brain  ;  the  next,  his  struggling,  shrieking 
wife  is  borne  out  to  a  fate  than  which  death  would  be 
more  merciful. 

The  savages  at  once  saw  the  condition  of  the  child. 
With  the  refinement  of  cruelty  only  to  be  found 
in  an  American  Indian,  they  carried  it  out  in  its  cra 
dle  and  set  it  down  beyond  the  enclosure  by  the  road 
side — there  in  loneliness  to  wail,  and  pine,  and  die. 

The  torch  was  applied,  and  the  tasteful  home  of 
Ruth  and  Ben  Palmer  was  consumed  with  its  kind- 
hearted  master. 

An  awful  stillness  then  fell  upon  the  twilight  hour, 
of  which  the  silence  after  a  storm  is  but  a  feeble  meta- 


216  MAPLE   RANGE. 

phor.  Over  the  glowing  flames,  and  wreathing 
smoke,  and  utter  desolation,  there  hung  now  the 
pall  of  night. 

The  Indians  had  come  through  the  woods  from 
the  west.  The  first  blood  had  been  spilled  at  the 
Maples,  and  very  likely  Palmer's  residence  would 
have  been  spared,  but  for  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Maynard's 
proximity  to  it  when  overtaken  and  killed. 

Their  destination  proper  was  the  settlement  five 
miles  above  Mr.  Maynard's,  and  setting  their  faces 
toward  it,  they  rushed  on  to  a  new  feast  of  slaughter 
and  rapine. 

The  thick  wood  and  the  darkness  of  night  favored 
them.  Upon  many  a  sleeping  family  they  crept 
silent  as  the  death  angel,  yet  more  dread  ;  the  first 
intimation  of  their  presence  being  the  shrill  whoop 
and  crashing  doors. 

Ah  !  few  shall  rise,  where  many  lay  down  in 
peace  at  eve.  Our  whilom  friends  have  fallen  under 
merciless  hands  ;  the  cruel  thirsty  hatchet  is  drunken 
with  their  blood. 

But  the  recitation  of  the  revolting  scenes  of  out 
rage  and  murder  is  too  harrowing.  The  soul  sickens, 
the  pen  recoils  from  it.  Till  late  in  the  night,  the 
Indians  wrought  in  savage  frenzy,  spreading  despair 
on  every  hand.  Toward  dawn  their  rage  culminated, 
and  they  laid  waste  the  dwellings,  tortured  the  men, 
women  and  children  in  Clipnockum  Hollow  ;  some 
they  bound  and  burned  under  the  same  tree  that  had 
served  as  an  instrument  of  more  merciful  death  to 
their  own  race.  Then  they  hurried  back  with 


THE   MASSACRE.  217" 

several  prisoners  to  the  fastness  of  distant  forests  ; 
leaving1  behind  them  ruined  altars,  smouldering: 

C7  )  O 

homes,  and  mutilated  corpses.  The  eye  of  God  alone 
was  bent  upon  that  ghastly  trail  of  savage  ferocity. 
He  had  spoken  all  unheeded: 

"Vengeance  is  mine,  and  I  will  repay." 

As  the  tides  of  the  sea  arise  in  the  month  of  September, 
Flooding  some  silver  stream  till  it  spreads  to  a  lake  in  the  meadow; 
So  Death  flooded  Life,  overflowing  its  natural  margin. 

-LONGFELLOW 


10 


218  MAPLE  RANGE. 


CHAPTER    IX. 

TO  WIN   OR  LOSE. 

WHEN  Mr.  Meade  and  his  daughter  had  left 
the  room,  after  Mrs.  Garret's  discovery  and 
peremptory  disclosure  of  Lieut.  Langmere's  hypoc 
risy,  that  distinguished  officer  almost  immediately 
found  the  use  of  his  limbs.  Encasing  the  nether  in 
top  boots,  and  thrusting  his  arms  into  regulation 
broadcloth  he  turned  full  rigged  to  his  sable  attendant, 
and  with  perfect  coolness,  said: 

Well,  Pomp.  Concert 's  over,  the  song  is  sung. 
What  do  you  think  of  the  performance  ?  " 

''  Party  good,  massa  ;  'specially  that  chorus,  'Ten 
hundred  a  year. ' ' 

"  He  shall  double  it  next  twelve  month.  A  gen 
tleman  can't  live  elegantly  upon  that  sum.  Now,  I  am 
told  that  I  am  disgraced  in  the  army,  stripped  of  my 
epaulets,  of  course  the  pay  will  be  proportionate 
ly  lessened  if  I  go  into  the  ranks  a  private  soldier, 
which  I  do  n't  intend  to  do.  Richard  is  himself 
again,  and  proposes  to  tread  the  boards  of  some  more 
congenial  stage.  However,  I  will  walk  down  to  the 
bank,  and  draw  the  first  instalment  of  the  old  fossil's 
allowance.  Pomp,  my  boy,  you  get  your  traps  all 
ready  to  go  when  I  come  back." 

"No    ye    don't    now,   massa,"  grinned    Pomp. 


TO   WIN   OR   LOSE.  219 

'"T ain't  no  ways  safe  to  'low  a  gemmcn  what's 
been  so  oncommon  low  to  go  out  alone.  I  '11  go  long, 
honey,  and  witness  the  cashing  of  the  old  man's 
paper,  'kase  I  have  a  little  claim  ag'in  the  pile,  and 
think  I  may  as  well  make  sure  of  it  while  it 's  kinder 
loose  and  movin'.  You  're  powerful  weak,  and  might 
sorter  forget  what  share  you  promised  me,  if  I 
would  -help  you  through  this  business  of  matri- 
money. " 

"'  But  you  didn't  help  me  through.  You  did  not 
prevent  that  infernal  old  woman  coming  in  here  and 
spoiling  the  whole  kettle  of  fish;  you  failed  to  keep 
her  hands  off  me,  and  that  ruined  all  my  plans. 
When  you  fail  in  one  particular,  you  fail  in  all,  and 
thus  wipe  out  the  remunerative  consideration.  Do  n't 
you  see  ? " 

"Now,  massa,  dat  won't  go  down  wid  dis  chile. 
I  'se  got  a  black  hide,  but  dere  is  some  cunnin'  inside 
ob  it.  You  must  pay  me  pretty  smart,  or  I  will  jes' 
inform  on  ye,  and  ye  '11  get  locked  up  for  obtainin' 
money  under  false  pretences.  Massa  Bartholt  told 
me  to  watch  out  for  ye,  'kase  he  reckoned  ye  'd  gib 
us  the  slip,  may  be." 

"Inform,  you  black  ape  !  but  that 's  all  the  good 
it  will  do  you  !  What  is  nigger  testimony  worth,  do 
you  think  ?  Take  that,  sir  !  'T  is  all  you  will  ever  get 
from  me,  unless  you  oblige  me  to  repeat  the  dose." 

He  caught  the  unguarded  negro  by  the  throat, 
and  with  a  lion's  grip  held  him  till  his  eyes  stood  out 
like  two  great  frightful  balls,  and  his  face  grew  more 
intensely  black  and  shiny,  while  his  limbs  hung  loose 
at  the  joints  and  refused  their  support.  Then  with  a 


220  MAPLE   RANGE. 

frightful  oath  he  flung  the  repulsive  mass  upon  the 
floor,  and  left  it  gasping  faintly  while  he  passed  out 
the  door,  which  he  locked.  Flinging  the  key  through 
an  open  window  into  an  area,  he  passed  through  the 
long  hall,  down  the  stairs  to  the  street  door.  He  was 
soon  at  liberty  on  the  pavement,  and  on  his  way  to 
the  bank.  In  less  than  twenty  minutes  he  was  in  pos 
session  of  the  one  thousand  dollars — Mr.  Meade- having 
just  left  the  bank  as  Langmere  entered. 

He  knew  that  he  was  disgraced  forever  in  the 
regiment,  as  well  as  deprived  of  his  rank,  for  rea 
sons  not  essential  to  relate,  but  which  every  reader 
will  readily  surmise. 

Hundreds  of  unworthy  officers,  about  these  days, 
went  with  shamed  faces  into  the  ranks,  realizing  how 
much  more  disagreeable  is  the  experience — though 
attended  with  less  exertion— of  going  down  than  up. 

Langmere  left  Washington  in  the  shortest  possible 
time,  forgetting  in  his  haste  to  call  for  his  servants 
or  settle  the  bill  of  his  medical  adviser  and  confede 
rate.  Dr.  Bartholt  had  sown,  as  he  hoped  to  reap, 
largely  confiding  in  his  own  sagacity  and  Pomp's 
watchfulness  to  make  certain  that  Langmere  should 
not  escape  when  the  harvest  was  gathered. 

Langmere  was  a  passenger — in  another  coach — on 
the  same  train  which  bore  her  he  proposed,  some 
time  (not  very  remote,  perhaps — that  would  depend 
upon  the  length  of  the  war  and  his  freedom  to  assume 
citizenship  again)  to  claim  as  his  wife,  or  force  her 
father  to  increase  the  significant  figure  of  his  yearly 
allowance. 

"After  all,"    he  said  to  himself,   as  he  coolly 


TO   WIN   OR   LOSE.  221 

smoothed  out  the  pile  of  crisp  new  bills  on  his  knee, 
"it's  not  so  bad  having  a  rich  wife,  when  a  fellow 
do  n't  want  to  work,  especially.  What  if  she  is  a 
wife  under  protest.  That  protest  is  good  capital." 

Yes,  her  very  aversion  to  him  was  cash  in  hand. 
A  feint  of  his  to  publish  their  relation  would  surely 
result  in  the  augmentation  of  his  finances,  for  her 
father  would  count  out  his  last  dollar  to  screen  his 
daughter.  He  knew  her  simplicity  was  coupled  with 
no  ordinary  pride,  and  coarsely  calculating  the  extent 
to  which  he  could  turn  both  her  simplicity  and  pride 
to  his  own  mercenary  uses,  he  chuckled  to  himself  as 
he  folded  the  bills  lovingly  away.  In  the  midst  of 
these  amiable  reflections  he  saw  the  victim  of  his  late 
artifice  step  from  the  train  ;  saw  her  many  acquaint 
ances  press  about  her  and  her  father,  for  they  were 
much  loved  in  their  own  circle  of  friends.  The 
wretch  laughed  outright  as  he  saw  her  lovely  face 
crimson  at  the '  inquiry  of  some  friend,  whom  she 
could  not  enlighten,  as  to  the  health  of  "her  soldier." 

Much  as  I  love  the  truth,  I  can  not  feel  it  would  have 
been  better  for  her  to  have  braved  all  criticism  and 
told  the  story  of  his  treachery  and  her  mortification. 

Alice  Langmere's  was  a  very  human  heart  indeed, 
with  some  of  the  passions  and  perhaps  more  of  the 
weaknesses  that  make  us  kin.  She  thought  bitterly 
how  Langmere  himself  had  taunted  her  with  unmaid- 
enly  persistence  when  he  hypocritically  objected  to 
immediate  marriage,  and  would  the  world  be  more 
merciful  ?  If  any  of  my  readers  blame  her  for  fold 
ing  her  secret  away,  I  beg  him  or  her  to  take  the  case 
home. 


222  MAPLE    RANGE. 

Langmere's  mother  lived  at  Blakely  where  he  had 
conducted,  under  the  rose,  a  contraband  traffic  with 
the  Sioux  or  Dakota  Indians,  and  having  considerable 
of  the  stock  in  trade  on  hand  when  he  enlisted,  he  had 
buried  it,  thinking  it  possible  he  might  sometime 
resume  business  on  a  more  extensive  scale.  His 
mother  only  knew  of  the  whereabouts  of  the  liquid 
treasure  and  she  kept  faithful  ward,  for  what  was 
treasure  to  him  was  precious  to  her,  poor  old  doting 
body.  She  was  an  illiterate  English  woman,  bearing 
still  her  maiden  name,  for  she  never  wore  the  ring 
that  sanctifies  motherhood,  and  was  reaping  one  of 
the  penalties  of  her  early  sin,  in  the  tyrannical  treat 
ment  of  her  heartless  offspring.  She  had  wrought 
hard  in  his  youth  to  clothe  and  "  heducate  "  him.  The 
latter,  indeed,  was  her  hobby. 

"Oh,  'is  father  was  a  clever  mon,  wi'  plenty  o' 
money  and  plenty  o'  words  for  'is  smooth  tongue. 
Larnin'  set  'im  up  in  t'  warld,  and  what  if't 
chucked  me  in  t'  mire,  my  boy  and  'is  boy  s'all  'ave  it 
if  I  work  my  nails  off — the  nails  that  mony  times 
'as  ached  to  scratch  'is  eyes  out  wi'. " 

And  she  had  worked  many  a  long  year  through 
heat  and  cold,  "scrubbing  at  'ouse  or  grubbing  at 
field,  "with  hunger  that  would  have  weakened  others, 
but  which  gave  a  desperate  strength  to  the  forsaken 
woman.  All  her  earnings,  save  enough  to  purchase 
"a  pretty  suit  and  dainty  bit  and  sup"  for  her 
George,  were  hoarded  with  a  view  of  giving  him  an 
education  like  his  father's.  The  excellent  opportu 
nities  her  energy  secured  for  him,  his  quick  intelligence 
had  improved,  and  his  scholarship  at  an  early  age  was 


TO   WIN   OR   LOSE.  223 

very  creditable.  The  one  cherished  bud  of  the 
desolate  heart  had  his  father's  grace  of  speech,  with, 
a  proportionate  villainy  of  soul  and  no  gratitude 
for  her  who  had  literally  hungered  for  his  advance 
ment.  When  he  was  thirteen,  his  father  furnished 
means  through  an  agent  to  take  mother  and  son  to 
America.  The  shrewd  woman  took  steerage  passage 
across  the  ocean,  and  thus  saved  enough  to  set  up  a 
fruit-stand  in  New  York.  The  same  self-denial  was 
shown  when  her  trade  netted  a  hundred  each  half 
year  as  when,  for  a  paltry  "tuppence"  a  day,  she 
wrought  as  a  scullery  maid  in  Yorkshire.  She  would 
have  remained  in  the  little  seven  by  nine  stall  under 
the  awning,  grand  enough  to  suit  her  simple  ideas, 
but  a  wish  to  rove  took  possession  of  her  son  and  sov 
ereign.  She  sold  out  her  stand,  and  they  departed 
with  the  cry  "Westward,  ho."  At  the  different  cities 
they  stopped,  that  her  industrious  hand  might  replen 
ish  the  purse.  The  boy  always  went  to  school,  for 
which,  strangely  enough,  he  manifested  a  marked  pre 
dilection.  The  year  they  tarried  in  Chicago  finished 
his  education,  and  then  they  went  to  Minnesota  where 
he  assumed  the  head  of  affairs.  With  fifty  dollars  of 
her  saving,  he  embarked  in  trade  in  a  small  way,  in 
vesting  carefully  (for  he  had  the  maternal  shrewdness) 
and  realizing  marvelously,  with  always  a  leaning 
toward  something  not  exactly  correct.  If  two  roads 
led  to  a  goal — one  light  and  straight,  the  other 
dark  and  crooked  —  he  was  sure  to  choose  the 
latter. 

The  trade  in  bad  whisky  with  the  Indians,  all  the 
more  tempting  because  unlawful,  yielded  more  than 


224  MAPLE   RANGE. 

double  the  ordinary  profits  of  business.  Just  before 
the  war  broke  out,  however,  the  Indians  withdrew 
suddenly  from  the  hamlets  where  they  had  been  wont 
to  loiter  and  imbibe.  His  trade  collapsed  and  he  had 
enlisted,  disposing  of  his  stock  in  the  manner  already 
indicated.  His  old  mother  had  been  his  "dark" 
while  she_was  well  enough  to  work,  but  her  strength 
had  given  way  at  last,  and  she  lingered  on,  a  burden 
who  had  given  her  own  life-blood  to  her  ungrateful 
son.  She  strove  with  painful  effort  to  add  to  the 
meager  purse  he  provided,  making  rude  willow  ware 
that  she  sold  among  the  neighbors.  To  others  she 
was  indebted  for  news  from  the  "army,"  which  was 
but  another  name  for  her  boy,  inasmuch  as  she  gave 
him  credit  for  every  military  movement,  no  matter 
where  or  in  what  division  of  the  army  it  was  made. 
One  day  a  lady,  pitying  her  loneliness,  gave  her  some 
illustrated  newspapers.  At  that  time  soldiers  figured 
extensively  in  all  the  pictorial  journals,  and  her  dim 
eyes  readily  detected  the  form  and  features  of  George 
in  many  of  them.  Looking  at  one  picture  and  then 
at  another,  "she  exclaimed  : 

"Well  now,  I  swan  t'  man,  I  never  thought  'e 
could  get  rount  lively  enow  to  do  all  't  seems  t'  coom 
t'  'im.  Bless  ye,  'ow  henthusiastic  'e  seem  'ere,  blow- 
in'  away  on  t'  hinstrument !  Wonder  if  'e  's  playin' 
'  God  save  t'  queen. ' ' 

"Oh,"  said  the  lady,  "that  is  a  soldier  drinking 
from  his  canteen." 

"Nor  sum  mat  good  to  drink,  neither  ;  by  t'  name 
I  guess  soom  nasty  stuff.  Why,  if  'e  can't  get  good 
whisky,  why  do  n't  t'  lout  dhrink  wather  ?  " 


TO  WIN   OE  LOSE.  225 

"Do  you  get  letters  from  him  often?"  was  the 
kindly  inquiry. 

"No;  'e  writ  only  but  onct.  'Lizbeth 'Arkness, 
t'  little  war  widder,  't  teached  school  'ere  last  Summer 
gone,  read  it  for  me  and  writ  t'  answer." 

"How  is  your  lameness?  Did  Mrs.  Cross  help 
you  with  her  new  discovery  ?  " 

"No  ;  t'  old  thing  got  mad  as  fire  wi'  me,  'cause 
I  sed  Miannetta  cured  old  Barnes'  missus  of  t'  same 
pains  and  swellings.  Sed  I  coom  fra  the  barbarous 
counthry  where  t'  had  kings  and  queens  and  ships, 
and  might 's  well  roob  t'  'intment  on  basswood  trees 
's  on  me.  I 's  frightened  of  pisen  and  threw  t'  bottle 
and  all  outen  doors.  S'  now  I  think  on  't,  will  you 
write  a  letter  to  my  George  for  me  ?  Ye  can  keep 
shet  pate  for  what  I  tell  ye,  that  I  knows  well  enoo. 
Will  ye  write  now,  eh  ?  " 

"Certainly,  while  you  dictate  for  me." 

The  letter  was  soon  written,  and  read  as  follows  : 

DEAR  GEORGE : 

A  white  man  in  the  woods  sent  old  Jim  John  down  here  to 
see  if  you  would  take  greenbacks  for  the  liquor  on  hand.  The 
Indians  are  all  paid  off  in  paper  this  time  and  have  no  gold.  I 
told  him  I  thought  you  would  sell  for  paper  money.  Write  if 
you  will  and  tell  me  how  to  get  the  stuff  to  the  upper  agency, 
where  the  purchaser  wishes  it  to  be  delivered.  He  is  a  man,  it 
seems,  that  do  n't  want  to  be  recognized  by  the  whites,  and  of 
course  the  Indians  can  not  be  trusted  to  carry  it.  Who  can  I 
trust  it  with?  I  hope  you  will  let  me  have  enough  of  the  money 
to  get  a  little  tea,  a  petticoat  and  a  pair  of  strong  shoes. 

Your  affectionate  mother, 

SALLY  HOPKINS. 


226  MAPLE  EANGE. 

This  letter,  received  at  the  same  time  he  was  ap 
prised  of  his  disgrace  in  the  army,  a  day  or  two  before 
the  final  denouement  at  Dr.  Bartholt's,  had  decided 
him  to  return  to  Minnesota,  and  himself  take  his 
liquors  up  to  the  Indian  country.  Where  could  he 
hide  from  the  Federal  eye  more  entirely  than  in  the 
tangled  and  interminable  forest  of  the  North-west. 
He  well  knew  the  wTorthlessness  of  paper  currency 
to  an  Indian,  and  soon  concluded  that  there  was  no 
where  in  the  world  a  more  promising  opening  for  a 
young  deserter.  With  a  mental  "  I  '11  see  you  again," 
as  Alice,  unconscious  of  his  gaze  or  proximity, 
stood  on  the  platform,  he  had  gone  on  with  as  little 
delay  as  possible  He  was  in  danger  of  apprehension, 
and,  no  doubt,  but  for  the  shoulder-straps  he  still 
boldly  wore,  would  have  been  arrested,  for  Uncle 
Sam  was  lynx-eyed  in  the  discovery  of  deserters.  He 
had  reached  home  a  day  or  two  previous  to  the 
occurrences  which  are  related  in  the  last  chapter,  and 
had  hurriedly  unearthed  his  treasures  and  sent  them 
by  secret  means  into  the  country  whither  his  safety 
called  him. 

The  day  before  the  massacre,  he  drove  in  a  buggy 
over  to  Mr.  Cross'.  'Lizbeth  met  and  welcomed  him 
at  the  low  doorway,  inviting  him  to  partake  of  the 
evening  meal,  which  invitation  he  very  politely  ac 
cepted,  and  afterward  asked  her  to  ride  with  him. 
She  went,  poor  shorted-sighted  girl,  short-sighted 
through  vanity  and  loneliness.  She  felt  an  exultation 
in  winding  men  about  her  finger.  George  Langmere 
had  not  only  admired  but  had  once,  in  her  girlhood, 
made  her  an  offer  of  marriage  which  she  had  declined 


TO  WIN  OR  LOSE.  227 

with  something  akin  to  contempt.  Now  he  was  an 
officer  and  his  attentions  therefore  very  flattering  in 
spite  of  his  ugliness,  to  her  who  had  been  so  long  a 
wife  and  war  widow.  She  returned  a  sharp  reply  to 
her  mother's  caution  against  "riding  fur."  They 
had  followed  the  new  road  many  miles  and  the  sun 
set  lighted  up  the  pale  ferns,  tree  tops  and  patches 
of  sky  visible  now  and  then  through  the  green  roof 
under  which  they  rode.  Suddenly  the  bushes  flank 
ing  their  way  were  transformed  into  hideous  forms 
writh  their  savage  ornaments  of  paint,  feathers  and 
beads.  Ere  her  surprise  had  deepened  into  terror,  she 
and  her  companion  were  the  prisoners  of  a  band  of 
Sioux. 

In  the  moment  of  supremest  fear,  she  marveled  at 
the  feebleness  of  Langmere's  resistance,  and  the  ease 
with  which  the  capture  was  made.  Ere  a  half  hour 
had  elapsed,  she  tremblingly  comprehended  the  truth. 
She  saw  plainly  it  was  a  ruse  of  Langmere's  to  get 
her  in  his  power.  That  the  one  savage  who  walked 
ahead  of  the  horse,  and  the  two  who  loped  along  be 
hind  the  buggy,  as  rear  guard,  were  really  his  confeder 
ates.  Her  quick  wit  now  realized  that  the  admiration 
of  this  man  meant  her  ruin.  Her  heart  sank  within 
her,  as  she  reflected  how  absolutely  she  was  at  his 
mercy.  What  that  mercy  amounted  to  could  be  easily 
computed,  from  the  mere  fact  that  he  was  hand  in  glove 
with  the  painted  wretches  who  had  pretended  to  cap 
ture  them.  Few  words  had  been  spoken,  there  had 
been  little  brandishing  of  their  favorite  weapon,  but 
enough  Langmere  thought  to  deceive  her.  Three  had 
accompanied  them,  while  the  rest,  a  small  war  party 


228  MAPLE   RANGE 

on  the  way  to  the  rendezvous  near  Mr.  MaynarcTs, 
had  gone  on,  and  'Lizbeth  had  felt  a  momentary  appre 
hension  for  the  settlement  toward  which  they  were 
hurrying.  Langmere  played  his  cards  artfully,  really 
hoping  to  impress  the  heart  of  his  kidnapped  victim, 
so  that  there  would  be  no  necessity  of  downright  com 
pulsion  to  effect  the  intimate  relations  which  he  had 
fully  resolved  should  brighten  his  sojourn  in  the  upper 
country.  Artfully  as  he  had  planned  and  dealt  he  saw 
that  still  greater  art  would  be  necessary  to  conquer  the 
regard  of  the  quick-witted  woman  who  had  been  sur 
prised  into  his  power.  He  knew  that  even  now  her 
spirit  was  arming  itself  against  him  in  the  discovery, 
too  late  to  avail  her,  that  she  had  committed  an  un 
pardonable  error  in  going  to  ride  with  him.  She 
really  loved  her  husband.  Yet  she  had  ever  felt  a 
coquettish  thrill  of  satisfaction  at  the  admiration  of 
other  men,  though  once  on  her  guard,  and  suspicious 
of  the  honesty  of  that  admiration,  and  'Lizbeth  Hark- 
ness  was  as  indignant  as  any  other  true  woman  and 
faithful  wife. 

Night  fell  early  on  their  solitary  way.  They  en 
camped  near  a  brook  that  went  singing  on  its  way 
through  the  gloom.  'Lizbeth  sat  upon  its  bank,  bath 
ing  her  face  and  hands  and  tasting  its  cool  water.  No 
fruitless  ambition  for  notice  caused  a  deviation  from 
its  own  course  or  disturbed  its  loyalty  to  its  belong 
ings  as  little  by  little  it  absorbed  its  natural  tributaries 
and  with  new  strength  went  on.  A  deep  rebuke  of 
her  foolish  acceptance  of  Langmere's  attentions  was 
voiced  by  the  stream.  Had  she  but  taken  counsel 
with  her  loftier  nature  she  would  now  be  safely  at 


TO   WIN   OR   LOSE.  229 

home  a  contented  wife,  and  to-morrow  would  arise  to 
sing  at  her  humble  task  instead  of  buckling  on  the 
armor  that  might  not  avail  to  resist  the  attentions 
that  she  now  dreaded. 

It  was  quite  dark  when  'Lizbeth  went  reluctantly 
up  the  bank  to  the  place  where  the  sheltering  tent 
was  stretched.  Provisions  for  a  comfortable  supper 
and  night's  encampment,  that  she  knew  must  have 
come  from  under  the  buggy  seat,  argued  forethought 
remarkable  for  an  evening's  drive.  She  remarked, 
"You  seem  well  prepared  for  this  adventure." 

"  Yes,  I  am  too  old,  and  have  been  caught  out  too 
many  times,  to  ever  start  from  home  without  the 
needful  things  to  make  night  comfortable,  if  it  hap 
pens  to  overtake  me.  We  will  some  day  laugh  over 
this  journey,"  he  replied. 

' '  On  the  contrary,  I  shall  every  day  of  my  life 
grow  graver  in  consequence  of  it.  Though  too  late 
for  regret,  I  shall  never  cease  to  reproach  myself  for 
coming  with  you  to-night.  It  was  not  right;  it  was  a 
wrong  against  my  absent  husband,  my  faithful  Gus," 
she  cried,  burying  her  face  in  her  hands. 

"Now,  'Lizbeth,  don't  go  to  reproaching  your 
self  for  the  most  harmless  and  most  natural  thing  in 
the  world  for  a  pretty  woman  to  do.  You  only 
started  out  for  a  short  ride  with  your  own  and  hus 
band's  friend.  We  were  taken  prisoners,  and  now 
must  make  the  best  of  it.  We'll  soon  have  some 
supper,  and  a  good  talk  over  old  times,"  rejoined 
Langmere  turning,  to  assist  the  Indians  in  prepar 
ations  for  the  promised  meal.  He  boiled  the  kettle, 
frizzled  the  pork  in  the  blaze,  cut  the  bread,  and 


230  MAPLE   RANGE. 

made  coffee,  over  the  same  fire  that  afforded  a  smoke 
to  quiet  the  mosquitoes. 

'Lizbeth  had  an  appetite  that  seldom  suffered 
through  the  wear  and  tear  of  the  sensibilities,  and 
grave  as  her  position  was,  she  thought  it  best  to  eat ; 
so  partook  of  the  clear  strong  coffee,  sweet  bread  and 
butter,  pork,  and  dried  venison.  She  slept  soundly 
on  a  rude  couch  of  leaves,  covered  with  a  blanket, 
while  Langmere  and  the  intoxicated  Indians  slept  on 
the  ground  near  the  fire.  Once  in  the  night  she 
awakened  suddenly  with  intense  terror,  her  eyes  met 
the  small  wicked  ones  of  Langmere  close  to  her  face. 
Starting  wildly  up,  she  thrust  him  back,  and  hissed  in 
his  ear  * 

"  George  Langmere,  if  you  attempt  to  com'e  near 
me,  if  Gus  does  not  kill  you,  I  will." 

"You  will  have  to  then,  for  Gus  hasn't  time. 
The  yellow  girl,  and  her  brat  that  resembles  him, 
require  all  his  spare  efforts.  When  the  mother  is 
washing  soiled  regimentals,  he  brings  water  and 
tends  baby.  He  has  no  ambition  to  shine  as  the 
avenger  of  a  woman  he  has  nearly  forgotten,  'Liz 
beth,"  he  said. 

He  drew  closer,  and  holding  her  hands  a  moment, 
kissed  one  of  the  curls  that  had  strayed  from  under 
the  handkerchief  bound  about  her  head.  She 
wrenched  her  hands  away  from  his  clasp,  and  draw 
ing  down  the  curl,  bit  it  off,  and  flung  it  in  his  face. 

"Take  it  villain,  liar  !  "  she  cried. 

Again  taking  a  stronger  hold  of  her  hands,  and 
speaking  persuasively: 

"No,  no,  don't,  'Lizbeth.     You  shall  see  how  I 


TO  WIN  OR  LOSE.  231 

admire  and  love  you  ;  and  how  much  more  faithful  I 
will  be,  than  he  who  prefers  a  woofly  scalp  to  such 
luxuriant  hair." 

For  the  first  time  in  her  life,  'Lizbeth  felt  the  iron 
of  jealousy  tear  through  her  soul,  as  she  saw  for  a 
moment,  in  fancy,  her  husband — she  had  felt  that  he 
was  indisputably  hers — gather  to  his  bosom  the  head 
of  another  women.  She  saw  him,  meanly  as  she 
fancied,  interesting  himself  in  the  ignoble  employ 
ment  of  a  negress — the  negress  whose  child  was  his. 
She  remembered  having  smiled  at  his  pain,  when, 
before  their  marriage,  she  had  caused  him  the  pangs 
of  jealousy,  as  severe  as  those  she  now  felt,  perhaps  ; 
and  she  had  then,  unheeding  the  suffering  he  endured, 
augmented  them  by  her  trifling  and  insincerity.  She 
now  was  the  tormented.  The  words  of  Langmere 
had  gone  with  fatal  directness  to  her  soul,  and  her 
faith  in  her  husband  was  shattered.  Even  the  most 
sensible  people  will  lose  all  power  to  exercise  ordin 
ary  reason,  when  their  jealousy  is  aroused.  Lang- 
mere  withdrew,  and  she  wept  passionately  over  her 
forlorn  and  hopeless  lot,  even  feeling  a  tolerance 
of  Langmere's  friendship,  in  her  entire  separation 
from  her  husband,  and,  indeed,  all  the  world. 

Morning  came,  breakfast  was  eaten,  and  at  sun 
rise  they  again  set  out.  The  path  was  obstructed  and 
rough,  and  a  breakdown  of  the  light  vehicle  delayed 
them  some  time. 

As  they  again  took  their  seats  and  started,  Lang- 
mere  remarked: 

"If  I  had  come  voluntarily  here,   I  should  have 


232  MAPLE   RANGE. 

taken  the  precaution  of  procuring  pack-mules  instead 
of  this  buggy." 

'Lizbeth  as  quickly  added,  while  her  black  eyes 
flashed — 

"And,  perhaps,  left  behind  the  big  black  bottle, 
from  which  you  and  our  escorts  imbibe  alternately. 
No  wonder  it  gets  mixed  who  planned  this  expedi 
tion." 

He  looked  wonderingly  into  her  face.  Could  it 
be  possible  she  had  read  through  him  so  readily,  and 
he  boldly  asked  : 

' '  Did  you  from  the  first,  credit  me  with  planning 
this  adventure." 

"  No,  not  until  you  attempted  to  destroy  the  beau 
tiful  illusion  of  my  belief  in  Gus.  What  could  in- 
djace  you  to  tell  me  of  that  woman — of  that  child  ? 
Ah,  I  know  you.  George  Langmere." 

"And  are  we  friends  or  enemies?  "  he  asked,~  as 
coolly  as  though  inquiring  the  time  of  day. 

"I  will  not  tell  you  now.  Wait  till  we  are  out 
of  the  woods." 

"  O,  you  are  a  logician,  and  like  myself  inclined  to 
take  the  matter  philosophically.  I  believe  such  peo 
ple  get  along  the  easiest,  no  bruising  of  impatient 
hands,  no  bleeding  of  impulsive  feet,  a  simple  drift 
ing  with  the  current,  a  patient  waiting  for  the  tide." 

"No,  you  mistake  me.  I  am  none  of  your  meek 
ones  waiting  the  flight  of  the  bird  of  fate.  I  have  a 
fair  amount  of  determination,  or  pluck  as  they  call  it. 
I  may  purr  while  the  sun  shines,  but  like  other  cats,  I 
have  my  nails,  and  woe  to  those  who  provoke  me  to 
use  them." 


TO   WIN   OR   LOSE.  233 

' '  I  will  not  take  your  warning.  I  have  no  fear  of 
cats.  Their  rage  is  not  lasting,  nor  their  bite  fatal.  I 
have  done  a  little  planning, '  tis  true,  but  the  righteous 
ness  of  the  object  wipes  out  the  transgression." 

"I  do  not  recollect  that  any  special  reward  is  of 
fered  to  those  who  do  evil  that  good  may  come." 

"You  quote  scripture  aptly  but  I  never  took  you 
for  a  saint,''  he  said,  looking  so  boldly  into  her  face, 
that  she  blushed  with  indignation  and  replied, 

"No,  I  am  not  a  saint;  if  I  were  I  should  not  be 
here  to-day  with  you,  a  miserable  captive  with  no  ran 
som  in  prospect.  Alas !  George  Langmere,  you  are 
less  culpable  than  you  seem  to  be,  perhaps." 

"O,  then  you  think  it  sad  I  am  not  worse,  eh?" 

"No,  I  mean  alas  for  me,  but  for  the  vanity  that 
made  your  attentions  agreeable,  I  would  not  have 
accepted  your  invitation,  the  attentions  which  at  last 
have  brought  me  here,  an  alien  from  home,  with  so 
ciety's  ban  upon  me.  Ere  this  our  elopement  has  been 
reported,  and  worse  than  all,  the  nature  of  your  esteem 
embitters  every  look  you  give,  every  tone  you  address 
to  me,  now  when  I  regret  my  thoughtlessness,  my  love 
of  the  admiration  no  married  woman  has  a  right  to 
accept,  now  when  sadly  needed,  you  can  not  afford  me 
the  protection  of  respect." 

"Hold  hard,  as  the  roughs  say,  wait  before  you 
make  any  further  confession,  that  dodge  won't  work 
this  time.  It  will  take  more  than  that  to  convince  me, 
that  even  religion  can  revolutionize  your  whole  nature. 
When  you  and  I  started  three  days  ago,  we  each  un 
derstood  the  other.  Human  nature  is  human  nature, 
in  spite  of  custom  and  usage.  You  are  a  very  pretty 
10* 


234  MAPLE   RANGE. 

woman,  impressionable  as  ether,  and  though  cunning 
as  a  serpent,  and  changeable  as  April  weather,  you 
are  not  going  to  slip  through  any  sanctimonious  gap. 
Listen  :  Gus  is  lost  to  you  forever ;  you  could  not 
take  him  back  to  your  heart,  even  though  repentant, 
after  this  colored  girl  affair.  The  world  we  have  left 
has  already  sat  in  judgment  upon  you,  and  pronounced 
an  irrevocable  verdict.  I  have  money;  you  know  its 
worth  to  a  handsome  woman.  Wives  are  unknown 
in  the  forest  and  you  shall  have  whatever  name  best 
suits  you,  mistress  or  queen.  My  plan,  let  me  tell 
you,  saved  your  life,  for  the  Sioux  were  upon  the  path 
of  vengeance  and  would  have  killed  you,  if  my  hand 
had  not  interposed.  Do  not  decide  now ;  I  will  wait 
and  prove  my  love.  But  mine  you  shall  be,  by  flow- 
cry  chains  if  you  will,  or  by  force  if  you  prefer.  I 
warn  you  there  is  no  escape,  every  Indian  is  my 
sworn  ally." 

They  were  now  looking  in  each  other's  eyes,  and 
she  saw  how  certainly  he  meant  to  enforce  his  power. 
In  that  gross  face  she  read  no  hope.  With  a  sicken 
ing  dread  of  him  she  buried  her  face  in  her  hands  and 
cried  aloud.  Gradually  sob  by  sob  her  grief  grew 
less  violent.  She  settled  to  the  soft  raining  of  still 
tears,  in  which  he  read  acquiescence  to  his  shameful 
proposal.  Placing  his  arm  behind  her  upon  the  back 
of  the  seat,  he  said  to  himself,  with  a  smile  of  satis 
faction, 

"  She  cries  who  boasted  of  her  fangs.  This  is  her 
determination  and  pluck.  When  a  woman  weeps  all 
wooing  is  prosperous,  for  tears  come  as  naturally  of 
love,  as  blood  comes  of  war. " 


TO   WIN    OR   LOSE.  235 

This  conversation  occurred  the  third  afternoon  of 
their  journey.  Many  times  they  had  come  upon  pas 
sable  thoroughfares,  and  as  often  plunged  again  into 
blind  by-roads  or  followed  Indian  trails.  Ever  avoid 
ing  the  public  highway,  the  Indians  and  Langmere 
seeming  both  to  prefer  obscure  ways,  the  more  tire 
some  and  monotonous  the  better.  It  was  evident  they 
shrank  from  possible  encounters  with  white  men, 
while  of  Indians  they  were  fearless.  'Lizbeth  wept 
long  and  refreshingly.  With  dry  eyes  she  looked  up 
at  an  exclamation  of  surprise  and  admiration  from 
Langmere,  and  following  the  direction  of  his  gaze  she 
beheld  a  novel  scene.  They  had  been  gradually  as 
cending  a  high  wooded  ridge,  and  came  now  almost 
abruptly  out  of  the  dense  forest  upon  the  brow  of  a 
precipitous  promontory,  whore  a  pebble  might  fall 
straight  into  the  waters  of  a  river  that  glinted  in  the 
sun's  declining  rays.  Upon  this  river  many  a  birch 
canoe  was  moored,  and  others  glided  up  and  down  and 
athwart  the  glittering  stream,  obedient  to  the  dextrous 
paddle  stroke  of  dusky  women,  erect  in  their  sharp- 
pointed  bows.  The  river  here  described  a  graceful 
curve,  as  though  a  great  flashing  sickle  of  steel  had 
been  laid  upon  the  fair  bosom  of  the  earth,  the  lofty 
promontory  forming  the  eastern  bank  and  lying  in  the 
center  of  the  arch.  Following  the  outer  curve  or  the 
western  bank,  with  indifferent  regularity,  straggled 
the  white  tepees  and  birchen  wigwams  of  an  Indian 
town.  Tall  linwood  trees  grew  among  and  beyond 
the  wigwams,  and  lent  a  wondrous  charm  to  the  scene, 
their  broad,  delicate-hued  leaves,  breeze-shaken,  drink 
ing  in  the  sunlight  till  they  seemed  veritable  censers 


236  MAPLE   RANGE. 

of  gold,  "held  quivering  to  the  gods."  Women,  in 
all  ages  and  stages  of  grace  and  uncouthness  (for 
among  squaws  are  found  exponents  of  both  types), 
were  scattered  about  upon  the  green  grass  in  front  of 
the  wigwams  or  under  the  trees,  engaged  in  work, 
either  manufacturing  moccasins  of  deer  skin,  or  the 
various  bead  ornaments  so  highly  prized  by  their 
people.  Children  sported  and  laughed  near  their  el 
ders  with  happy  abandon. 

The  warriors  were  all  away,  and  the  old  grayhaired 
men  were  wisely  seated  under  cover  where  they  could 
smoke,  fearless  of  foiling  dew.  The  striplings, 
yet  too  young  to  "beat  the  war-post"  (a  ceremony 
that  ushers  the  young  Indian  into  a  warrior's  rank), 
were  mustered  on  the  village  green,  engaged  in  their 
familiar  ^md  favorite  game  of  ball-playing,  with  rack 
ets  similar  to  the  battledore  in  use  with  white  people. 
The  women,  especially  the  younger  ones,  manifested 
great  amusement  and  interest  in  the  game,  and  min 
gled  with  boys'  hoarse  shouts  were  peals  of  women's 
laughter.  In  the  background,  scrubby-looking  cows 
and  frowsy  Indian  ponies  were  quietly  grazing.  The 
soft  tinkling  of  their  many  bells  filled  the  clear  air 
with  pastoral  music.  The  smoke  of  tepee  fires  went 
lazily  up,  in  rings  of  blue  and  gray,  or  in  great  white 
feathery  masses  floated  high  over  the  river  banks 
that  held  a  mirror  to  the  evening  sky,  and  lay  upon 
the  unripoled  air  like  wingless  spirits. 


"  Harsh  sights  and  sounds  with  melting  day 
Had  from  the  lovely  scene  been  driven. 

Nature  seemed  kneeling  down  to  pray, 
In  praise  and  gratitude  to  heaven." 


A  FORTUNATE  MEETING.  237" 


A  FORTUNATE  MEETING. 

"  We  are  well  met;  our  mutual  needs  are  great." 

TIM  WAS  the  afternoon  of  a  warm  Summer  day ;  the 
J-  air  was  oppressive,  the  thermometer  standing 
well  up  in  the  nineties,  as  the  stage-coach  bowled  along 
a  dusty  road.  The  passengers  wiped  their  streaming 
foreheads  as  they  commented  upon  the  weather,  the 
crops,  the  war,  the  late  naval  triumph  at  Hampton 
Roads,  etc.  One  of  them,  a  gentleman  brimful  of 
that  humor  which  is  the  birthright  of  Erin's  sons,  as 
he  aired  his  pocket-handkerchief  out  of  the  window, 
exclaimed : 

"Hot !  hot  as — well,  as  a  place  that  rhymes  with 
glory." 

"Purgatory?"  suggested  another,  with  a  smile 
by  which  we  recognize  Robert  Maynard. 

"Good  at  guessin',  ain't  ye?"  chimed  in  a  tall, 
cadaverous  fellow  in  soiled  Federal  uniform.  "A 
soldier  goin'  hum  on  furlow  to  'emit  up,"  as  he  had 
several  times  informed  his  fellow-passengers.  He  was 
just  about  to  tell  them  a  story  relating  to  some  of  his 
hospital  experience  which  the  word  purgatory  seemed 
to  have  suggested,  when  the  stage  drew  up  at  an  inn, 


238  MAPLE   RANGE. 

the  last  station  on  the  road  below  the  Maples,  where 
Robert's  two  companions  got  out. 

Robert  felt  no  loneliness  at  the  prospect  of  having 
the  inside  of  the  stage-coach  to  himself,  yet  he  ex 
pressed  regret  that  his  agreeable  traveling  acquaint 
ance,  the  Irish  gentleman,  went  no  farther.  As  they 
entered  the  inn,  the  landlord  was  haranging  a  deject 
ed-looking,  powerfully  built  man,  who  sat  with  arms 
upon  the  table  and  his  face  bent  down  so  as  to  hide 
his  features.  Robert  stood  in  the  doorway,  unper- 
ceived,  while  mine  host  continued  in  a  loud,  harsh 
voice  : 

"That's  a  pretty,  whining  story!  After  eating 
my  bread  for  four  days,  and  making  all  the  trouble 
you  have  here,  to  tell  me  you  have  no  money.  Why 
did  n't  you  tell  me  so  when  you  came  ?  " 

"My  wife  and  child  were  too  ill  to  travel  further, 
and  this  was  the  only  house  which  afforded  the  shel 
ter  they  required.  My  child's  danger  drove  out  every 
other  thought,  sir." 

Here  the  speaker  paused  a  moment,  overcome 
with  emotion,  then  continued  : 

"  Since  God,  in  his  providence,  has  taken  him 
away  from  us,  we  will  go  on  now  and  obtain  employ 
ment,  which  will  enable  us  soon  to  pay  you  for  the 
trouble  we  have  made  and  the  bread  we  have  eaten. 
My  money  failed  because  we  have  been  so  many  times 
detained  by  illness,  but  I  will  soon  earn  more  than 
enough  to  pay  all  I  owe  you." 

"Pay  me  !  "  shouted  the  landlord.  "  Pay  me  !  I 
shall  r.  vsr  hear  from  you  again,  or  a  word  about  my 
pay,  af '  ar  you  leave  here.  I  've  been  bit  by  just  such 


A   FORTUNATE   MEETING.  239 

as  you  before,  and  the  only  way  is  to  hold  on  to  your 
baggage.  An'  I  '11  do  it;  yes  sir,  every  dud  !  Now 
take  your  wife,  you  whining  pauper,  and  get  out  of 
here.  There  's  work  enough  for  them  as  want  it,  al- 
I'us,  but  I  can't  feed  them  as  do  n't.  Them  's  my 
square  sentiments,  by  Moses  !  " 

Veering  round  suddenly,  he  ran  bolt  against 
Kobert,  who  was  regarding  the  seated  figure  with 
evident  compassion. 

But  what  a  sudden  metamorphosis.  The  bully  in 
a  moment  was  a  toady.  The  freedom  of  the  house 
was  tendered  "  Mr.  Maynard."  Wine,  cigars,  sup 
per  were  offered,  and  gravely  declined. 

The  young  man  simply  saying:  "No,  thank  you," 
advanced  to  the  table,  laid  his  hand  kindly  upon  the 
bowed  shoulder,  saying: 

"You  are  a  stranger,  and  in  trouble;  as  I  hope  for 
assistance  in  my  day  of  need,  I  beg  you  to  command 
me  in  yours." 

Dashing  a  tear  from  his  large  blue  eye,  the  man 
arose,  and  bowing  with  a  grateful  politeness  not 
acquired,  and  an  accent  that  betrayed  his  nativity, 
replied  : 

"  My  name  is  McDougal,  sir.  Two  months  ago, 
I  left  Scotland  hoping  to  find  a  home  in  this  beautiful 
State.  My  purse  was  full,  my  wife  was  radiant  with 
health  and  hope  ;  my  rosy,  blue-eyed  boy  cheered  us 
with  his  childish  talk  and  merry  laugh.  The  way  is 
long.  We  were  subjected  to  numerous  delays  and 
my  purse  gave  out  here.  My  wife  is  sick  and  des 
pondent,  for  yest'reen  we  laid  our  boy  in  the  grave, 
the  song  on  his  young  lips  hushed,  and  his  bright 


240  MAPLE   RANGE. 

eyes  closed  for  ever.  My  bill  here  is  not  large,  but  I 
can  not  pay  it,  and,  sir,  I  will  accept  gratefully  your 
unexpected  courtesy  as  freely  as  it  is  generously 
offered.  I  have  heard  of  a  gentleman,  a  wealthy  far 
mer,  a  few  miles  from  here;  I  will  go  to  him  and  seek 
work  in  harvest.  By  your  assistance  I  may  be  able 
to  reach  The  Maples  to-night." 

"That  is  my  home,  and  I  promise  you  a  warm 
welcome,"  said  Robert. 

The  packing  boxes  and  trunks  were  soon  trans 
ferred  from  the  hotel  porch  to  the  boot  and  roof 
of  the  stage  coach.  The  Scotchman  lifted  in  a  pale 
comely  woman,  and,  taking  a  seat  beside  her,  gravely 
watched  the  pompous  bustling  landlord  seized  with  a 
sudden  desire  to  be  useful  to  his  late  unwelcome 
guests.  Robert  paid  the  bill,  sprang  into  the  coach, 
and  took  a  front  seat,  facing  McDougal. 

' '  You  have  become  acquainted  with  our  young 
State  at  a  time  when  she  is  seen  to  a  great  disadvan 
tage,  "  he  said.  ' '  Our  enterprises  are  all  at  present 
military.  Everything  has  had  to  give  way  to  the 
necessary  equipment  and  sustenance  of  a  great  army. 
Legitimate  business  is  stagnant.  The  whole  nation  is 
absorbed  in  establishing  beyond  question,  a  principle, 
which  has  unfortunately  been  brought  to  a  bloody 
test.  Commerce,  agriculture,  and  scholarship  are 
subservient  to  the  needs  of  the  hour." 

"I  find,"  said  the  Scotchman,  "  my  pre-conceived 
idea  incorrect.  This  is  a  war  with  broader  basis  than 
I  supposed.  Before  coming  to  America,  I  had  the 
impression  it  was  sectional — a  border  warfare  between 
the  free  and  slave  owning  States  ;  but  I  confess,  how- 


A   FORTUNATE   MEETING.  241 

ever,  that   in    American  politics,    I  very   soon    get 
bewildered. " 

"And  no  wonder,"  said  Robert.  "The  great 
question,  '  What  is  it  all  about  ?  '  is  imperfectly 
understood  by  many  of  our  own  soldiers.  Even 
those  who  are  fairly  observant  and  intelligent,  and 
have  for  a  long  time  watched  the  boiling  of  the 
political  chaldron,  might  answer  the  question  differ 
ently.  Its  merits  are  very  much  obscured  by  rhetoric 
and  bluster  on  both  sides.  But  the  simple  fact  is 
this  :  Two  systems,  aristocratic  privilege  and  demo 
cratic  equality,  have  at  last  come  to  an  issue.  The 
idea  of  the  South  is  the  perpetuation  of  their  peculiar 
institution,  an  idea  which  has  been  too  indifferently 
considered  by  the  North.  Though  the  question  of 
slavery  has  been  agitated  many  years,  it  has  never 
assumed  direct  national  importance,  only  once,  I 
think,  having  been  made  an  issue  in  a  Presidential 
campaign,  and  then  by  a  third  and  insignificant  party. 
Abolitionism  was  unpopular  even  in  the  North,  but 
secession  has  changed  the  public  sentiment,  and  the 
war  cry  now  is,  'Emancipation.'  The  South  overreached 
itself,  counting  upon  the  Northern  pro-slavery  sym 
pathizers.  That  sentiment  was  found  to  be  insignifi 
cant  when  the  Union  was  threatened,  and  died  when 
the  first  hostile  missive  whistled  through  the  rigging 
of  the  'Star  of  the  West,'  flying  the  United  States 
flag.  An  educated,  religious  and  determined  people, 
rose  to  defend  those  colors,  and  the  unanimity  of  all 
parties  is  an  augury  of  ultimate  victory." 

Mrs.  McDougal  listened,  evidently  with  an  intelli 
gent  appreciation  of  the  subject.     She  said: 
Q          11 


24:2  MAPLE    RANGE. 

"And  your  clergy  arc  all,  as  I  heard  one  say, 
'  baptized  with  a  new,  a  military  tire.'  We  attended 
church  in  Chicago  ;  the  clergyman  was  certainly  elo 
quent,  and  said  to  be  a  very  excellent  divine.  One 
part  of  his  discourse  impressed  me  particularly  at  the 
time  ;  at  the  close  of  an  impassioned  period,  he  said, 
'We  will  take  our  glorious  Hag  and  nail  it  just  below 
the  Cross,  that  is  high  enough.  There  let  it  wave  as 
it  waved  of  old  ;  around  it  we  will  gather,  first 
Christ's,  then  our  country's.'  Those  are  pure  Church 
and  State  principles,  though  I  believe  in  this  country 
such  a  union  is  not  recognized." 

"  My  wife  is  a  high  church  woman,  Mr.  May 
nard,"  said  Mr.  McDougal. 

"And,"  said  Robert,  "will  not  be  less  welcome  at 
the  Maples.  My  mother  is  a  Scotch  lady,  and,  like 
my  father,  a  member  of  the  Church  of  England." 

A  jolt  and  lurch  of  the  coach  interrupted  the  con 
versation,  and  startled  them  all,  as,  for  a  moment, 
they  were  in  imminent  danger  of  upsetting.  As 
their  equilibrium  was  restored,  and  the  passengers 
breathed  freely  once  more,  Robert  undid  a  paper  par 
cel,  of  which  he  seemed  to  be  very  careful,  and  said  : 

UI  hope  I  have  not  broken  a  present  I  am  taking 
to  my  sister.  O  no,  it  is  all  right  yet." 

He  was  surprised  by  an  exclamation,  sudden  and 
vehement,  from  Mrs.  McDougal.  Oil  looking  up,  he 
saw  her  all  aglow  with  interest ;  half  rising,  she 
caught  his  arm,  and  with  great  earnestness,  said: 

"O,  Mr.  Maynard,  do  not  let  the  sunlight  fall 
upon  that  vase,  I  beg  of  you  ;  and  pray  tell  me, 
where  did  you  get  it,  and  where  is  its  counterpart  ?" 


A    FORTUNATE    MEETING.  243 

"This  one,  madam,  is  the  gift  of  a  young  lady  to 
my  sister  Nellie,  who  already  possesses  its  counter 
part." 

"  May  I  inquire,  if  upon  the  bottom  is  engraved 
the  word  '  York. ' ' 

"  Yes,  madam." 

"And  your  sister's  bears  upon  it,  in  similar  letter 
ing,  the  word  'Lancaster.'' 

"Yes." 

"  How  very  strange  !  Those  vases  must  once  have 
belonged  to  my  mother  !  " 

"  Heirlooms  '*  M  inquired  Robert. 

"No;  she  once  befriended  a  gypsy  woman  who, 
on  her  death-bed,  gave  her  those  vases,  saying  they 
would  exert  an  influence  on  her  fortune,  or  that  of 
any  possessor,  prosperity  and  happiness  being  assured 
so  long  as  they  were  kept  from  the  sun's  rays.  They 
were  manufactured  by  sun-worshipers,  and  possess  the 
power  of  attracting  its  angry  rays.  They  were  dedi 
cated  to  the  roses  of  York  and  Lancaster,  and  a  warn 
ing  accompanied  the  gift  against  their  misuse  :  York 
must  be  true  to  York,  and  Lancaster  to  Lancaster. 
Mother,  not  a  little  superstitious,  as  many  of  my 
countrywomen  are,  took  the  precaution  of  having 
them  engraved,  and  valued  them  despite  their  weird 
power  for  their  antique  design  and  transparent  beauty." 

"How  came  she  to  lose  them  ?  " 

"  Most  mysteriously ;  and  my  father's  financial 
ruin,  my  poor  mother's  sudden  death,  following  almost 
immediately  upon  their  loss,  I  can  but  regard  them 
with  something  akin  to  fear — at  least,  1  would  want 


244:  MAPLE   RANGE. 

to  make  sure  the  sun  would  never  light  upon  them  if 
I  possessed  them." 

The  sun  in  the  mean  time  had  set,  and  as  the  twi 
light  cast  her  misty  veil  o'er  the  earth,  the  conversa 
tion  had  drifted  to  other  themes,  and  the  vases  seemed 
for  the  moment  to  he  forgotten.  Night  fell,  and  for 
sometime  they  rode  in  darkness  through  a  piece  of 
heavy  timber.  Later,  the  moon  rose,  red  and  round, 
as  they  emerged  from  the  wood,  and  the  horses  quick 
ened  their  pace  on  the  smooth  road  that  followed  a 
long,  high  ridge,  a  few  miles  from  The  Maples. 
Suddenly  the  neighing  of  a  horse  ahead  and  the  sound 
of  wheels  aroused  them  ;  then  came  a  loud,  startled 
"Whoa"  from  the  driver.  The  rocking  of  the  coach 
and  a  heavy  thud  upon  the  ground  told  them  he  had 
dismounted.  Robert  thrust  his  head  out  of  the  win 
dow,  and  with  an  exclamation  of  surprise  opened  the 
door  and  sprang  out  quickly.  He  affectionately  patted 
the  horse's  flank  as  he  passed  him  to  reach  the  car 
riage,  saying  :  "  Why,  Deacon,  old  fellow  ! — mother, 
father— O  God !  " 


THE   RETURN   HOME.  245 


CHAPTER   XL 

THE      RETURN      HOME. 

"No  voice  in  the  chamber  ;  no  sound  in  the  hall." 

I)  OBERT  got  into  the  carriage,  and  the  lifeless 
t\ 
-*-  v     heads   were   strained   to  his   breast,  while  he 

knelt  before  them,  crying,  "Mother!  father  !  Oh,  it 
can  not — can  not  be  !  What  hand  so  cruel  as  to  deal 
thus  with  you  ?  and  Nellie— poor  little  Nellie  !  " 

He  seemed  to  be  losing  all  self-command,  now 
whispering  his  mother's  name,  then  calling  "Nellie." 
After  a  few  hurried  words  with  the  driver,  Mr.  Mc- 
Dougal  approached  him,  and  disengaging  his  arms 
from  the  embrace  of  his  dead  parents,  he  drew  him 
gently  but  firmly  away,  and  leading  him  to  the  coach, 
bade  him  "Get  in,  and  hasten  on!  We  must  be 
active,  to  save  your  sister  from  the  fiends  who  have 
done  this  cruel  deed  ;  and  you  must  lose  no  time  !  It 
is  impossible  for  me  to  drive  that  vehicle  as  fast  as 
you  ought  to  travel  now  !  My  friend,  for  that  sister's 
sake,  be  firm  and  faithful  to  yourself  !  It  looks  dark, 
but  God  has  not  forsaken  you  !  " 

The  driver  resumed  his  seat,  but  his  horses  were 
weary,  and  their  progress  was  not  much  greater  than 
McDougal's.  Ben  Palmer's  house  was  still  smoulder 
ing  when  they  reached  it — a  blaze  flaring  up  now  and 
then  where  some  heavy  timber  was  longer  being  con- 


246  MAPLE   RANGE. 

sumed.  All  eyes  were  turned  with  a  sickening  inquiry 
toward  the  burning  pyre,  when  the  horses  shied  sud 
denly  from  the  road,  prancing  and  plunging  in  their 
efforts  to  disobey  the  curb.  After  much  coaxing  the 
driver  quieted  them  and  again  sprang  from  his  box 
and  stood  speechless  with  horror  when  he  discovered 
the  cause  of  their  excitement— a  cradle,  a  sleeping 
child,  and,  beside  her  baby,  the  dead  body  of  Ruth 
Palmer.  She  had  drawn  down  the  tall  bushes  with  her 
dying  hands  and  braided  them  into  a  sheltering  can 
opy  ;  had  taken  off  her  dress  and  wrapped  it  about 
the  sleeping  innocent,  to  protect  it  from  the  falling 
dew.  With  one  arm  thrown  over  her  darling,  she  had 
met  the  pale  messenger !  How  ?  Ah,  none  shall 
ever  know  !  They  lifted  her  body  into  the  stage. 
Mrs.  McDougal  took  up  the  sleeping  babe,  and  her 
experience  soon  divined  its  illness.  She  pressed  it  to 
her  nourishing  bosom  and  said  : 

"Sweet  little  one,  thy  mother  and  my  child  are 
not  !  God  has  made  our  coming  together  a  mutual 
blessing.  Thou  shalt  be  my  own,  and  I  shall  be  to 
thee  a  mother." 

They  made  rapid  and  fruitless  search  for  Palmer, 
and  then  resumed  the  journey — the  saddest  funeral 
train,  perhaps,  the  cold  moon  ever  shone  upon.  In  a 
short  time,  unchallenged,  they  passed  under  the  sen 
tinel  trees,  and  thus  returned  to  their  home  the 
master  and  mistress  of  The  Maples.  'T  was  a  ghastly 
company,  ranged  in  silence  down  the  long,  dim-lighted 
dining-room,  the  dead  they  had  found  upon  the  way 
and  those  they  found  here  ! 

Then  Robert  sought — wildly  sought — Nellie  ;  but 


THE   RETURN    HOME.  247 

he  sought  in  vain.  He  penetrated  the  lone  recesses  of 
the  wood,  whose  dim  aisles  mockingly  echoed  her 
name  as  he  called  her,  using  all  the  old  endearing 
terms,  framed  in  loving  childhood  and  in  their  loving 
lives  never  forgotten.  His  shadow  fell  on  grassy, 
well-remembered  mounds,  where  many  a  time  he  had 
read  to  her  while  she  made  leafy  crowns  for  him,  and 
they  had  played  at  King  and  Queen  ;  then  out  upon 
the  broad  prairie,  threading  his  way  through  its  deep 
and  tangled  growth.  All  possible,  all  impossible 
places  were  searched,  in  the  hope  that  some  trace  of 
the  fragile,  beautiful  girl  might  be  found — a  tress  of 
her  golden  hair  ;  an  impression,  ever  so  faint,  of  her 
dainty  foot ;  but  his  heart  grew  every  moment  more 
sad,  until  it  slowly  settled  into  deepest  anguish. 

Morning  came,  and  the  search  was  prosecuted  with 
vigor,  though  with  little  hope.  At  sunrise,  as  Robert 
led  a  horse,  saddled,  from  the  stable,  his  eyes  (that  in 
all  directions  watchfully  roamed  constantly,  hoping  to 
catch  some  trace  of  his  sister)  fell  upon  a  horseman  can 
tering  hurriedly  up  the  road  toward  the  house;  alight 
ing  at  the  gate,  they  soon  clasped  hands.  It  was 
Captain  Ellis,  on  his  way  home.  Silently  Robert  led 
him  to  the  dining-room,  where  he  had  so  often  been  a 
guest,  and  there  he  looked  upon  the  still  features  of 
his  whilom  host  and  hostess,  with  keenest  sorrow  in 
his  manly  heart,  then  into  the  face  of  the  bowed  and 
stricken  son. 

"The  Indians!"  he  ejaculated  after  a  moment's 
silence. 

"  Yes  ;  no  other  hand  could  be  found  to  work  such 
butchery. " 


248  MAPLE    RANGE. 

Captain  Ellis'  voice  grew  husky  and  his  face  grew 
white  as  that  of  the  sleepers  beside  him,  as  he  faintly 
articulated  : 

"  They  must  have  gone  farther  than  this  ;  perhaps 
ere  this  have  desolated  my  home.  I  saw  their  wicked 
work  at  Ben  Palmer's  and  hurried  on — " 

"Great  heaven  !  "  said  Robert,  "forgive  my  self 
ish  sorrow.  I  had  forgotten  the  very  existence  of  the 
defenseless  families  at  the  settlement.  Let  us  hasten, 
Ellis.  Come,  and  eat  some  breakfast,  and  I  '11  put 
your  tired  horse  in  the  stable  and  bring  out  a  fresh 
one.1' 

"  Breakfast,  Maynard  !  and  my  wife,  my  babies 
exposed  to  the  hatchet  of  these  miscreants  !  Not  a 
mouthful." 

And  mounting,  the  two  men  dashed  away,  the 
fresh  horses,  seeming  to  realize  the  need,  put 
ting  forth  unaccustomed  speed.  Silently  they  rode, 
rising  in  their  stirrups,  teeth  firmly  set,  as  through 
the  trees  they  saw  the  straggling  columns  of  smoke, 
of  burning  homes,  and  the  evidences  of  inhuman 
slaughter.  Wilson's  house  was  only  a  whitened  ash- 
heap.  The  gore  of  violated  dead  was  scattered 
around.  Sick  and  faint,  they  were  turning  away, 
when  a  boyish  "halloo  "  arrested  them.  Down  from 
the  screening  boughs  of  a  giant  oak  slid  Thad,  the 
youngest  of  poor  Wilson's  eight  children.  His  story 
was  simply  and  soon  told ;  of  the  midnight  attack 
and  the  murder  of  all  save  himself;  how  he  had 
climbed  the  tree  unnoticed  and  watched  them  finish 
up  their  deadly  work,  wrapping  it  all  in  a  red  wind 
ing-sheet  of  flame,  and  then  silently  stealing  away 


THE    RETURN   HOME.  249 

toward  other  residences.  Telling  the  lone  orphan  boy 
to  go  to  the  Maples  and  remain  till  his  return,  Rob 
ert  and  his  companion  pushed  on.  They  passed  many 
a  corpse  stark  by  the  roadside,  whose  features  were 
familiar ;  passed  silent  ash-strewn  places  where  had 
been  human  habitations,  until  they  came  in  full  view 
of  the  spot  where  lately  was  a  rose-bowered  cottage, 
but  now  could  be  seen  only  thin  wreaths  of  smoke  and 
blackened  ruin. 

Capt.  Ellis  spoke  not,  but  his  face  was  white  and 
distorted  by  the  anguish  of  his  soul.  He  went 
through  the  yard,  opening  a  gate  that  led  toward  the 
barn  and  shelters  for  stock,  and  without  seeming  to 
know  what  he  did,  closed  it  again.  The  click  of  the 
latch,  with  its  familiar  home  sound,  so  long  unheard, 
together  with  the  reflection  how  useless  the  precaution 
of  closed  gates  now,  completely  unmanned  him.  He 
fell  with  a  groan  upon  the  ground,  repeating  the 
names  of  his  wife  and  children.  At  that  moment  a 
snow  white  lamb  with  a  gay  ribbon  about  its  neck 
came  bleating  from  the  bushes  behind  the  barn,  fol 
lowed  by  a  child  who  cried  : 

"Nanny,  Nanny,  come  back.  The  Injuns '11  cut 
your  throat  !  " 

Rich  brown  hair  strayed  in  neglected  rings  over 
his  forehead.  His  only  garment  was  a  night-dress. 
He  paused  to  gaze  in  bewilderment  upon  the  prostrate 
man,  who,  springing  to  his  feet,  caught  him  in  his 
arms,  saying: 

"Don't  you  know  papa,  Herbert?  Where  is 
mamma  and  little  Phil  ?  " 

"Oh,  it  ain't  mamma,  it's  grandma.     There  she 


250  MAPLE   RANGE. 

comes  now,"  said  the  boy,  as  grandma  Smith,  with 
Phil  in  her  arms,  came  toward  them,  her  dear  old 
white  hair  wet  with  morning  dewdrops  and  her  soiled 
night-dress  bearing  evidences  of  contact  with  brush  and 
brier. 

"For  God's  sake,  Mrs.  Smith,  tell  me  if  Kitty 
lives,"  said  Capt.  Ellis  advancing,  taking  the  child 
from  her  and  pressing  it  to  his  heart. 

"I  can  not  tell  you,  for  I  do  not  know.  She  bade 
me  say  to  you  that  she  would  live  and  return  to  you 
and  her  children,  but  when  she  knew  not.  She  is  a 
prisoner  with  the  fiends  who  compelled  her  to  destroy 
her  home.  For  some  reason  I  felt  uneasy  about  her 
last  night,  and  at  sunset  came  over  to  see  if  all  was 
well.  She  begged  me  to  stay  all  night  with  her.  I 
was  in  bed  and  asleep  when  she  waked  me  and  in  a 
whisper  told  me  the  Indians  were  about  the  premises. 
By  her  directions  I  got  up,  and  taking  the  baby,  fol 
lowed  her  as  she  carried  Herbert  into  the  cellar. 
Telling  me  to  remain  there  till  she  opened  the  outside 
door,  then  to  take  the  children  to  the  bushes  behind 
the  barn  and  hide  with  them,  but  in  no  case  to  attempt 
to  assist  her.  She  could  speak  a  little  Indian  and 
perhaps  might  turn  that  to  account.  I  staid  in  the 
cellar  perhaps  twenty  minutes  when  the  house  door 
was  broken  in  with  a  loud  crash,  and  amidst  the  sav 
age  yelling  I  could  hear  her  voice  talking  to  them.  It 
grew  quieter  as  she  went  about  getting  supper  for 
them.  After  she  had  got  them  seated  she  ran  round 
and  opened  the  door  of  the  cellar.  With  a  swift 
pressure  of  the  hand  and  a  kiss  upon  the  lips  of  her 
children,  she  returned  to  the  room,  where  the  noisy, 


THE    RETURN    HOME.  25l 

riotous  brutes  were  eating.  I  hastened  to  the  retreat 
she  had  indicated,  thinking  of  home  and  the  many 
who  were  exposed  to  those  wretches,  for  I  "believed 
them  to  be  only  a  part  of  a  larger  band.  The  dear 
children  were  both  wide  awake,  but  obedient  to  the 
charge  not  to  speak.  Some  time  we  lay  there  and 
then  I  was  startled  by  a  cautious  tread  and  a  hand 
upon  my  shoulder.  Mrs.  Ellis  whispered  in  my  ear, 
1  The  strychnine  with  which  I  flavored  their  food  has 
proven  fatal  to  three  of  the  Indians  ;  a  fourth  is 
dying,  only  one  is  left  and  he  too  must  soon  succumb. 
To  save  you  and  my  children  I  must  go,  perhaps, 
with  the  others  who  even  now  come  yelling  down  the 
road,  but  do  not  have  any  anxiety  for  me.  Tell  my 
husband  I  will  return?  A  moment  she  lingered,  with 
loving  messages  for  you,  and  then  returned  to  the 
house,  that  was  then  in  flames.  Soon  the  place  was 
silent  and  I  knew  that  she  had  gone.  I  am  con 
vinced  she  will  return,  for  she  is  a  thorough  genius 
and  will  obtain  a  controlling  influence  with  the  In 
dians." 

It  was  plain  that  grandma  little  guessed  the  grav 
ity  and  extent  of  the  outrages  that  had  been  perpe 
trated  the  night  before,  for  her  voice  sounded 
almost  cheerful  as  she  spoke  ;  but  the  two  men  who 
listened  to  her  strange  narrative  thought  of  the  frail 
woman  who  had  periled  her  safety  to  save  others, 
and  of  the  possible  fate  that  awaited  her.  The  an 
guish  of  the  husband's  heart  can  never  be  portrayed, 
as  he  recalled  the  passions  to  which  she  was  exposed. 
At  that  moment  little  Herbert  cried  out : 

"  Why,  there  is  uncle  Carce  Smith  !  " 


252  MAPLE   RANGE. 

"Why,  sure  enough,"  said  grandma. 

The  old  man,  depending  a  good  deal  upon  his  cane, 
came  with  puzzled,  inquiring  eyes  toward  them.  He 
had  staid  alone  the  night  before,  having  retired  early 
and  slept  very  sound,  had  heard  no  unusual  noise. 
After  milking  the  cows  and  eating  his  solitary  break 
fast,  he  had  come  "  cross  lots,'1  to  see  after  grandma. 
Robert  now  informed  them  of  the  terrible  work  from 
the  results  of  which  they  had  so  singularly  escaped. 
A  counsel  was  held,  and  a  search  commenced.  Grand 
ma  and  the  children  were  sent  to  The  Maples,  where 
it  was  thought,  best  for  safety  to  get  together  all  that 
were  left.  In  the  course  of  the  deliberations,  several 
neighbors,  some  of  them  living  quite  distant,  who 
had  escaped  the  night's  slaughter  one  way  and  another, 
had  joined  them.  There  were  ten  or  twelve  of  them 
altogether  who  set  about  the  burial  of  the  dead,  and 
the  sad  task  occupied  the  greater  part  of  the  day. 
The  last  mournful  lowering  to  rest  of  the  victims  of 
these  outrages  was  at  The  Maples.  No  hollow  sound 
of  falling  clod  upon  a  coffin  lid  had  pained  the  ear. 
Softly  were  filled  with  earth  the  graves  of  those  who 
slept,  wrapped  in  a  simple  winding  sheet.  There  was 
no  time  to  prepare  coffins  ;  the  exigencies  of  the  hour 
demanded  speed. 

As  the  red,  Sabbath  sun  went  slowly  down  the 
blue  incline  of  heaven,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Maynard  were 
laid  gently,  side  by  side,  in  one  broad  grave.  Mr. 
McDougal  read  the  beautiful  burial  service  from  the 
lady's  own  prayer-book.  Twenty-four  hours  before, 
they  had  been  looking  cheerfully  out  upon  this  same 
spot,  now  their  tomb  ! 


THE    RETURN    HOME.-  253 

By  this  time  quite  a  large  company  had  assembled. 
Settlers  had  dropped  in  through  the  day,  in  twos  and 
threes,  and  often  singly — survivors  of  the  massacre, 
some  of  them  fearfully  mutilated.  After  the  cere 
mony  they  all  repaired  to  the  house  where  a  good, 
comfortable  supper  was  prepared  by  Mrs.  McDougal 
with  grandma's  assistance.  They  had  found  every 
thing  in  perfect  order,  from  the  very  garret  to  the 
cellar,  showing  the  taste  and  method  of  the  dear  pre 
siding  genius  who  would  superintend  the  generous 
and  beautiful  home  no  more.  After  supper  Robert 
went  into  his  mother's  room.  On  a  small  table  beside 
her  favorite  seat,  across  the  window  from  her  hus 
band's,  lay  an  unfinished  garment,  a  basket  containing 
her  thimble,  scissors  and  cotton.  Mechanically,  he 
took  up  a  scrap  of  paper  and  read  a  verse  cut  from 
Mrs.  Browning's  great  poem.  Bitterly  he  repeated  : 

"  Ah,  yes  ;  even  so  will  my  days  go  on  !  " 

Upon  the  window-sill,  just  where  he  had  lain  it, 
was  Mr.  Maynard's  bible  ;  upon  its  open  page,  his 
glasses,  and  a  delicate  hyacinth,  now  withered,  mark 
ing  in  purple  this  part  of  the  twenty-third  psalm  : 

"  The  Lord  is  my  shepherd;  I  shall  not  want.  He  maketh 
me  to  lie  down  in  green  pastures.  He  leadeth  me  beside  the  still 
waters.  He  restoreth  my  soul.  He  leadeth  me  in  the  paths  of  right 
eousness,  for  his  name's  sake.  Yea,  though  I  walk  through  the 
valley  of  the  shadow  of  death,  I  will  fear  no  evil,  for  Thou  art 
with  me.  Thy  rod  and  Thy  staff,  they  comfort  me." 

While  Robert  reads  this  holy  book  the  aching 
breast  is  eased  by  tears  that  heretofore  have  refused  to 


254  MAPLE   RANGE.    ' 

flow.  It  seemed  as  if  sorrow  had  dried  the  eyes  ;  but 
now  he  sits  down  in  the  vacant  arm-chair,  weeping 
gently  and  sweetly  over  his  father's  bible.  He  had 
neither  the  time  or  heart  to  enter  Nellie's  room  since 
the  search  there  last  night  ;  but  at  twilight  he  felt  the 
yearning  to  be  where  she  so  lately  had  been.  He 
rose  and  went  in.  The  fragrance  of  sweetbriar  hung 
heavy  upon  the  air.  The  branches  of  a  large  bush 
had  been  coaxed  through  the  window  and  confined  by 
bits  of  ribbon  to  the  sash  and  casement,  repaying  lib 
erally  this  care  and  protection  by  their  delicious  per 
fume.  He  sat  down  by  Nellie's  workstand,  covered 
with  bright  colored  wools,  tatting  shuttle  and  spool, 
a  fairy  thimble  and  bodkin.  He  took  up  a  half-finished 
book-mark  she  had  been  making  for  him.  Wrought 
in  perforated  card  was  this  sentiment:  "We  live 
in  deeds,  not  years."  On  the  sofa  by  the  pillow 
that  still  bore  the  impress  of  her  head,  lay  an 
open  volume  of  "Faust."  The  door  of  the  hand 
some  wardrobe  was  open  ;  by  her  chair  lay  tiny 
slippers  that  she  had  exchanged  for  boots  when  pre 
paring  for  her  walk.  A  coquettish  apron,  with  curi 
ously  contrived  pockets,  full  of  shells  and  a  piece  of 
petrified  moss  she  had  picked  up  in  some  of  her  ram 
bles,  hung  on  a  hook  near  the  bed.  The  bed  was 
daintily  made,  with  its  unrivaled  white  linen  and 
counterpane,  puffy  pillows,  with  wide,  neatly-crimped 
ruffles,  buttoned  with  housewifely  exactness.  All 
things  were  just  as  she  had  placed  them.  This  room, 
the  shrine  of  a  pure,  beautiful  girl,  seemed  to  call  her 
back  almost  to  life.  Robert  started  up  with  a  momen^ 
tary  illusion  of  her  presence.  He  almost  saw  the 


THE   RETURN   HOME.  255 

sylph-like  figure  flitting  about  in  the  old  sweet  man 
ner,  stopping  in  some  half-completed  task,  to  whisper 
"Dear brother,"  or  throw  a  kiss  to  him  and  smile  her 
love.  He  sat  there  while  the  night  deepened,  and 
then  feeling  the  absolute  need  of  repose,  he  went  to 
his  own  room  which  his  mother  and  Cloe  had  put  in 
order  for  him.  A  large  new  trunk,  full  of  the  many 
comforts  it  was  supposed  his  new  life  would  make 
welcome,  stood  in  the  room — upon  the  lid  a  card,  bear 
ing  in  his  father's  old-fashioned  hand  his  name,  com 
pany  and  regiment.  He  opened  it.  Upon  the  nicely - 
folded  clothing  were  a  prayer  book  and  bible.  On 
the  fly  leaf  of  each,  in  his  mother's  beautiful  writing, 
were  his  own  and  her  name.  He  kissed  the  latter, 
while  sobbing,  he  repeated  it,  and  kneeling,  poured 
out  his  grieved  spirit  in  prayer  to  Him  who  has  prom 
ised  to  be  "  a  present  help  in  every  time  of  need.1'  He 
realized  that  promise  and  rose  from  the  attitude  of 
devotion  with  a  calmer  soul  and  more  implicit  trust. 
The  inmates  of  the  house  were  quiet,  and  hearing  no 
more  the  familiar  household  sounds  of  shutting  doors 
and  grating  chairs  that  brought  the  lost  ones  mock 
ingly  to  his  memory,  he  laid  himself  upon  the  bed, 
and  courted  rest. 

Heavy  slumber  fell  upon  him  ;  his  exhausted  frame 
was  refreshed.  Toward  morning  he  awoke,  got  up 
and  dressed,  took  from  his  pocket  Annette's  pic 
ture,  and  pressed  it  to  his  lips.  Placing  it  under 
the  vase  he  had  brought  home  to  Nellie,  which  now 
stood  upon  his  table,  he  passed  out,  quietly  shutting 
his  door.  He  strove  by  walking  to  allay  the  grief 
that  had  wakened  with  him  ;  but  of  what  avail  the 


256  MAPLE  RANGE. 

effort?  Was  it  not  written  everywhere  he  turned? 
In  the  bare  hope  of  somewhere  coming  upon  her,  he 
wandered  about,  and  twice  crossed  the  path  of  Cap 
tain  Ellis  who  was  also  abroad  in  the  starlight. 
Neither  spoke,  for  each  felt  the  taciturnity  a  great 
sorrow  imposes,  and  went  his  way. 

Robert  returned  to  the  house  at  daybreak,  and 
going  to  his  own  room  was  surprised  to  find  the  door 
ajar.  He  thought  again  to  look  upon  the  features  of 
his  betrothed  ;  but  what  was  his  astonishment,  to  find 
her  picture  gone,  and  in  its  place  a  note,  written 
hastily,  yet  legibly.  It  read  : 

Robert,  I  know  not  her  fate.  I  believe  she  is  alive  ;  but  living 
or  dead,  I  will  find  her,  and  bring  you  tidings  of  Nellie.  Your 
search  would  be  fruitless.  Have  you  faith  to  confide  in  your 
mother's  friend?  Her  grateful  MIANNETTA. 


THE   SEPARATION.  257 


CHAPTER  XII. 

THE      SEPARATION. 

"  Aye,  we  must  part,  but  do  not  ask  me  why — 
Enough,  my  suffering  must  equal  thine.'' 

ri  iHE  old  adage,  "A  friend  in  need  is  a  friend  in 
deed,"  was  mutually  verified,  both  by  Robert  and 
Mr.  McDougal.  While  to  him  was  given  the  charge 
of  things  without,  Mrs.  McDougal  cheerfully  accepted 
the  care  of  things  within,  and  administered  them  both 
gracefully  and  practically,  with  the  assistance  of  a 
young  German  and  his  sister,  sole  survivors  of  a  fam 
ily  that  had  recently  removed  to  Maple  Range,  and 
found  shelter  and  employment  at  The  Maples. 

Robert  found  great  comfort  in  Miannetta's  letter, 
having  the  greatest  confidence  in  her  zeal  and  skill. 
She  could  and  would,  he  felt  sure,  penetrate  the  most 
obscure  hiding  places  of  the  savages,  and  would 
obtain  knowledge  inaccessible  to  any  one  else. 

With  Captain  Ellis,  he  joined  the  soldiers  under 
Sibley  sent  in  pursuit  of  the  Indians,  and  both  were 
present  when  the  captives,  women  and  children,  were 
given  up  at  Camp  Release.  Both  turned  away  with 
still  sadder  hearts  when  the  faces  had  been  scanned, 
for  neither  "Kittie"  nor  "Nellie"  was  among  them. 
They  returned  with  the  melancholy  knowledge  that  all 
pursuit  on  their  part  was  futile.  Captain  Ellis  made 
R  11* 


258  MAPLE   RANGE. 

arrangements  with  grandma  Smith  to  take  care  of  his 
little  boys,  and  returned  to  the  army.  Robert  also 
turned  from  his  desolate  home  to  the  more  active  yet 
equally  sorrowful  fortunes  of  war.  One  pang  more, 
he  thought,  as  he  drove  over  the  prairie  after  bidding 
his  new-found  friends  adieu,  and  my  heart  shall  know 
the  fullness  of  grief.  I  must  bid  Annette  farewell. 

He  reached  the  city  and  repaired,  after  dinner  at 
the  hotel,  to  her  father's  house,  recalling  as  he  mounted 
the  stairs  and  passed  the  fountain  his  own  lightness  of 
heartland  her  happiness  when  last  there.  Only  a  few 
days — and  what  a  change  !  An  age  of  suffering  was 
condensed  in  that  short  space. 

He  was  shown  into  the  parlor,  and  having  sent  his 
card  waited  the  appearance  of  the  girl  whom  he  re 
garded  with  a  love,  intensified  by  the  loss  of  all  his 
kindred.  Mrs.  La  Moore  came  in,  stately  and  frigid, 
and,  after  a  ceremonious  greeting,  said  : 

"  My  duty  imposes  on  me  the  performance  of  a  most 
unwelcome  task,  Mr.  Mnynard  !  but  you  will  see  the 
impropriety  of  continuing  attentions  after  I  have  in 
formed  you  that  they  are  not  acceptable.  I  beg  you 
not  to  repeat  your  visits  here  during  the  absence  of 
Mr.  La  Moore." 

u  Pardon  me  ;  I  do  not  understand  you,  madam," 
he  said. 

"That  need  not  prevent  your  compliance  with  my 
request,"  she  said,  and  swept  from  the  room  just  as 
Annette  entered  by  an  opposite  door. 

The  face  of  the  young  girl,  though  beautiful  as 
ever,  was  very  pale,  and  her  eyes  filled  with  tears  as 
she  crossed  the  room  swiftly  to  meet  him. 


THE   SEPARATION.  259 

"You  know  all  my  loss,  all  my  sorrow,  darling," 
he  said  as  he  drew  her  to  his  heart  and  felt  her  arms 
twine  about  his  neck. 

Her  sobs  of  sympathy  were  mingled  with  his  own 
which  he  could  not  suppress,  as  with  faltering  voice 
he  told  the  sad  story. 

"But  the  loss  of  mother  and  father,  terrible  as  it 
is,  is  nothing  compared  with  my  anxiety  for  Nellie's 
uncertain  fate.  It  seems  to  almost  overwhelm  me, 
and  I  can  scarcely  command  myself  to  endure  the 
fearful  suspense,"  he  concluded,  still  holding  her  in 
his  arms. 

"  I  know  your  suffering,  Robert !  I  pity  you  with 
my  whole  soul  ;  and  yet  I  am  doomed  to  inflict 
another  pang  upon  your  noble,  suffering  heart." 

"  What  do  you  mean,  Annette  ?  "  he  said.  "  Your 
very  presence  comforts  me  to  whom  all  comfort 
seemed  impossible." 

"But,  Robert,  my  beloved,"  cried  the  weeping 
girl,  "this  must  be  our  last  interview,  our  last  em 
brace.  I  will  not,  dare  not,  tell  you  why  !  I  love  you 
truly,  devotedly,  and  ever  shall  ;  but — O  God  !  help 
me  !  I  tell  you  truly  /  can  not  be  your  wife." 

He  drew  back,  half  loosened  his  clasp,  looked  full 
into  her  lovely  eyes  as  though  seeking  to  read  in  their 
liquid  depths  the  reasons  for  this  strange,  this  terri 
ble  decision,  then  convulsively  clasping  her  once  more 
to  his  bosom  he  pressed  his  lips  to  hers  in  a  long 
kiss.  Then  disengaging  her  arms  about  his  neck, 
he  led  her  to  the  sofa,  and,  without  another  word  or 
look,  went  out  from  her  presence  into  the  lone,  dreary 
world. 


260  MAPLE    RANGE. 

Mrs.  La  Moore  had  been  an  unperceived  witness 
of  the  painful  interview  and  its  surprising  finale. 
The  moment  Robert  left  the  room,  she  entered,  to 
find  Annette  in  a  strange  state,  between  stupor  and 
convulsion.  She,  for  once  intent  upon  alleviating 
the  distress  of  her  uncomplaining  child,  had  Annette 
taken  to  her  own  room  by  the  frightened  and  loving 
servants,  and  there  for  many  days  she  lay  in  a  low 
condition  of  pain  and  fever.  No  word  passed  be 
tween  them  in  all  these  days  ;  yet  it  was  plain  to 
the  attendants  that  the  mother's  presence  was  no  com 
fort  to  the  suffering  girl  ;  that,  while  Mrs.  La  Moore 
was  ever  at  her  side,  securing  the  most  skillful  medical 
attendance,  nursing  and  comforts  ;  still  it  evidently 
was  not  a  labor  of  love.  Fear  lest  Annette  should 
die  and  fling  another  shadow  across  her  daily  path, 
was  the  inspiration  of  Mrs.  La  Moore's  efforts  to  save 
the  girl's  life.  But  death,  though  longed  for,  came 
not.  Slowly  Annette  crept  back  to  the  cruel  realism 
of  health.  Though  to  herself  acknowledging  her 
cowardice  in  breaking  off  so  mysteriously  her  engage 
ment  with  Robert,  she  derived  some  comfort  from  the 
fact  of  his  not  knowing  why  she  did  it.  She  felt  that 
if  she  had  told  him  the  cause  that  suddenly  inter 
cepted  their  union,  possibly  his  regard  for  her  might 
have  been  quenched.  She  had  not  courage  to  brave 
such  a  contingency.  While  he  remained  ignorant  of 
the  cause  of  their  parting,  he  might  continue  to  love 
her  still.  Selfishly  hugging  this  thought,  she  had 
spoken  the  words  that  separated  them. 

Her  suffering  was  great,  yet  life  is  sweet  to  all, 
and  she  clung  to  it  with  youthful  tenacity,  rousing 


THE    SEPARATION.  201 

herself,  after  weeks  of  quiet  misery,  to  find  some 
wholesome  task.  She  sought  and  found  it,  ministering 
to  the  comfort  of  the  widowed  and  orphaned  ones, 
whose  support  had  been  shattered  by  war's  mighty  en 
gine;  sought  and  found,  oh,  so  much  wretchedness  and 
need,  that  never  for  one  hour  could  her  helping  hands 
hang  idle.  Annette  La  Moore  willingly  took  upon 
herself  the  task  of  alleviating,  as  far  as  in  her  power 
lay,  the  wants  of  the  poor,  the  sick  and  the  needy. 
Many  a  fevered  brow  was  cooled  and  refreshed  by  ap 
plications  from  her  gentle  hands,  parched  lips  moist 
ened  with  iced  drinks  those  hands  prepared.  Children 
regarded  her  with  something  akin  to  reverence  as  one 
who  had  nursed  "  mother"  back  to  life,  and  mothers 
thanked  her  for  the  children  her  tender  care  had  res 
cued  from  death.  She  was  an  efficient  member  of  the 
"Ladies'  Aid  Society,"  that  monument  of  humane 
effort  that  sheds  lustre  upon  the  memory  of  American 
women. 

With  another  lady  she  had  one  day  visited  several 
families  in  the  outskirts  of  the  city,  making  inquiries 
for  a  house  where  was  said  to  be  great  suffering,  a 
case  both  of  illness  and  poverty.  Their  carriage,  well 
known  in  the  city,  was  a  novelty  in  this  out  of  the 
way  street,  well  known  to  poor  pedestrians,  but  sel 
dom  visited  by  a  vehicle  of  any  kind,  much  less  by  a 
handsome  private  carriage.  An  English  family,  con 
sisting  of  a  war  widow  and  her  children,  themselves 
in  very  reduced  circumstances,  had  opened  their 
door  to  receive  a  poor  old  refugee  from  the  frontier, 
who  had  fled  in  terror  from  the  Indians.  She  had 
made  the  long  journey  on  foot  and  without  money. 


262  MAPLE    RANGE. 

She  also  was  an  English  woman,  and  this  fact  had 
secured  to  her  this  hospitality.  It  was  evident  she 
was  at  death's  door  when  Annette  and  her  compan 
ion  found  her.  On  entering  the  house,  a  tall,  slat 
ternly,  watery-eyed  woman,  with  twin  babies  in  her 
arms,  conducted  them  to  the  low,  miserable  pallet 
whereon  a  wasted  creature  lay,  gasping  for  breath. 
Her  withered  face  was  distorted  with  pain  ;  great 
drops  of  death  dew  stood  upon  her  wrinkled  brow, 
while  her  sunken  eyes  shone  with  a  preternatural  lus 
tre.  Her  words  came  slowly  and  between  long 
pausjes,  as  she  replied  to  their  sympathetic  inquiries. 
iey  gave  her  cordial,  chafed  her  hands  and  applied 
rti tidal  warmth  to  her  extremities,  while  she  mum 
bled  piteously  : 

"Too  late,  I 's  frightened,  I  canna  mend  mair,  I 
canna  mend  mair.  I  moost  die,  and  me  e}^es  be  shut 
be  strangers.  But  I  'ave  a  soon — Gorge  is  'is  naame 
— Gorge  Langmere — -mabbe  ye  ken'd  Mm  soomtime  ? 
He  roon  t'  army  —  he  tuck  t'  whisky  till  f  Injuns — 
t'  Injuns  I  roon  fra — he  bides  safe  enow  wi'  'em— but 
I  for  thrampin'  moost  die  !  Oh,  'ees  feyther  was  a 
clever  big  boog,  an'  wadna  fret  if  'is  young  'un 
starved — an'  ^e  's  a  big  boog,  too — an'  turned  t'  cold 
shoulther  on  'is  mother,  when  she  cood  no  mair  stoob 
roun' — an'  'arn  siller  for  'un — 

Completely  exhausted,   she  lay  very  still  a  few 

minutes,  then,  opening  her  eyes  again,  she  resumed, 

"Larnin'  doon  't — larnin'  chook't  me  in  t'  mire — 

larnin'  pickt  me  old  bones — an'  larnin'  kickt  me  oot 

to  die  !— " 

Raising  herself  with  an  almost  superhuman  effort, 


THE    SEPARATION.  263 

and  sitting  bolt  upright,  her  glassy  eyes  uplifted  in  a 
frightful  stare  and  fixed  in  their  sockets,  she  fiercely 
struck  her  bony  fists  together,  and  in  unearthly  ac 
cents  shrieked  : 

"  Coorses  upon  larnin' — coorses — coorses  ! — "'  and 
fell  back  upon  the  pillow  dead. 

They  composed  her  stiff  old  limbs  that  would 
never  ache  more,  folded  the  ill-shapen  hands  over  the 
breast  that  had  held  such  a  true  mother  heart.  Cov 
ering  the  wasted  form  with  a  decent  sheet  borrowed 
from  a  neighbor,  they  turned  with  sad  faces  from  the 
silent  dust,  all  that  remained  of  poor  Sally  Hopkins. 

After  engaging  women  to  prepare  the  grave-clothes 
they  would  provide,  and  to  watch  the  corpse  until  the 
interment,  which  they  would  arrange,  they  turned  to 
make  inquiries  into  the  needs  of  the  household. 


264:  MAPLE   RANGE. 


CHAPTER    XIII. 

A  MOTHER'S  STRATEGY. 

Though  all  can  not  live  on  the  piazza,  every  one  may  feel  the  sun. 

—  Tuscan  Proverb. 


same  night  that  'Lizbeth  Harkness  was  spend- 
-*-  ing  the  first  dark  hours  of  her  '  '  forced  elopement" 
with  Langmere  near  the  little  rivulet,  a  captive  of 
love,  held  by  other  than  love's  restraining  fetters, 
Mrs.  Ellis  was  threading  the  same  wood,  and  later  in 
the  night,  indeed,  it  was  almost  morning,  encamped 
upon  the  same  stream,  a  mile  nearer  its  source.  She 
had  been  taken  from  her  burning  home,  after  setting 
fire  to  it  herself,  to  hide  the  bodies  of  the  Indians  who 
had  died  from  the  effects  of  her  generously  adminis 
tered  compound.  I  can  not  say  she  went  voluntarily, 
nor  yet  was  her  going  altogether  compulsory,  but 
she  had  felt  that  a  moment's  hesitation  either  to  apply 
the  brand  or  go  with  the  Indians,  might  result  in  a 
search  of  the  premises  and  the  discovery  of  grandma 
and  the  children.  She  knew  that  the  house  would  be 
burned,  and  she  feared  the  barn  and  stacks  as  well, 
if  there  was  any  delay.  So,  when  she  heard  the  yells 
of  the  reinforcement  of  Indians,  she  had  lighted  the 
building,  having  piled  hay  and  other  combustibles 
within  the  doorway,  and  just  as,  with  ferocious 


A  MOTHER'S  STRATEGY.  265 

gestures,  they  began  to  circle  and  yell  around  the 
fire  and  peer  into  the  gloom  for  more  victims,  she 
made  a  feint  to  get  away,  rushing  through  the  gate 
and  down  the  road,  while  the  whole  pack  followed 
like  a  long  file  of  yelping  hounds.  They  overtook 
and  bound  her  and  led  her  on,  but  her  ruse  was  ef 
fectual  in  averting  their  attention  from  the  premises. 
Though  she  scarcely  hoped  to  escape  their  murderous 
hatchets,  she  felt  sure  that  her  children  were  safe. 

Half  a  mile  from  home  they  were  joined  by  a 
party  of  squaws,  who  had  in  custody  a  number  of 
white  women  and  children.  Some  of  those  Mrs.  Ellis 
attempted  to  address,  but  was  immediately  and  vio 
lently  silenced.  A  retrograde  movement  was  at  once 
made,  and  continued  till  near  daylight,  when  they  en 
camped  in  the  woods,  as  I  before  stated,  upon  the 
same  stream  on  which  Langmere's  encampment  lay. 

At  dawn  they  were  joined  by  a  large  number  of 
Indians,  Yanktons,  who  informed  them  that  a  council 
was  called  of  the  chiefs  of  all  the  tribes  that  were 
allied  in  this  movement  against  the  whites.  Also  that 
a  small  band  of  Sioux  lay  at  their  left,  while  a  larger- 
force  of  more  northern  Indians  was  encamped  half  a 
mile  to  their  right.  Mrs.  Ellis  understood  that  Avhile 
the  main  portion  would  breakfast,  the  "fathers" 
would  meet  in  deliberation,  which  must  be  hurried  in 
consequence  of  their  proximity  to  the  white  settle 
ments.  A  speedy  move  of  squaws  and  captives  was 
imperative,  and  these  captives  were  to  be  distributed 
among  the  different  tribes  who  had  captured  them. 

By  some  magnetic  influence,  some  people  attract 
all  who  come  within  the  circle  of  their  influence,  and 
12 


266  MAPLE   RANGE. 

Mrs.  Ellis  was  one  of  these.  She  made  friends  with 
everything,  brute  or  human.  The  squaws,  "  ugly  and 
venomous,"  as  they  were,  seemed  particularly  attracted 
by  her  good  nature  and  apparent  fearlessness,  and  pro 
cured  for  her  many  privileges  which  the  other  prison 
ers  were  denied.  They  acceded  to  her  request  to  take 
her  to  witness  the  meeting  of  the  sachems.  So  creep 
ing  through  the  bushes  with  them,  she  reached  the  ap 
pointed  spot.  The  dignitaries  were  seated  around  a 
fire,  whose  light  paled  before  the  growing  light  of 
day.  On  a  rich  beaver  skin  near  the  fire  lay  a  gor 
geous  calumet  or  pipe  of  peace.  A  proud,  handsome 
young  chief  sat  at  the  head  of  a  circle  of  lesser  mag 
nates  on  the  ground.  They  had  all  evidently  re 
touched  their  paint,  the  only  morning  toilet  of  an 
Indian.  This  grandest  looking  of  the  band  made  a 
signal.  One  of  the  ring  arose,  advanced,  and  filling 
the  pipe  lighted  it  by  the  fire,  and  handing  it  to  the  first 
chief,  retired  again  to  his  seat  on  the  ground.  With 
a  haughty  look  that  must  have  been  very  impressive, 
for  the  whole  band  delivered  a  concerted  "  ugh,"  the 
sachem  rose,  and  taking  a  whiff,  emitted  the  smoke  in 
a  heavy  cloud.  Then  taking  the  pipe  from  his  mouth 
he  pointed  with  the  ornamented  stem  first  to  the  sun 
just  struggling  through  the  leaves  of  the  dense  forest 
growth,  then  held  it  to  the  earth  ,  then  circling  it 
gracefully  round  his  head  he  handed  it  to  the  right 
hand  sachem.  He  then  introduced  measures  which 
they  discussed  while  the  pipe  circulated,  each  chieftain 
in  turn  taking  it  from  his  left  hand  neighbor  and 
passing  it  on.  The  council  was  conducted  in  low, 
monotonous  guttural  tones.  Mrs,  Ellis,  of  course, 


A  MOTHER'S  STRATEGY.  267 

understood  nothing,  but  she  remarked  that  there  was 
nothing  emphatic  save  the  oft-repeated  "  ughs." 

When  their  future  field  was  decided  upon,  the 
spoils  of  war,  namely,  the  prisoners,  divided  sat 
isfactorily  ;  a  bright  belt  of  wampum  was  produced 
and  handed  from  one  to  the  others  of  the  circle,  each 
member  handling  it  as  reverently  as  if  it  were  some 
grave  talisman.  The  successive  touching  of  this  or 
nament  ratified  the  proceedings  of  the  council,  of 
which  this  was  the  final  ceremony.  They  rose  imme 
diately,  and  without  a  parting  word,  all  save  the 
Yanktons  departed,  striding  in  the  different  directions 
towards  their  several  camps.  Mrs.  Ellis  felt  an  almost 
irrepressible  desire  to  visit  some  of  the  encampments 
to  ascertain  the  fate  of  her  neighbors,  and  a  deep  re 
gret  that  she  was  to  be  one  of  those  allotted  to  the 
Yanktons,  whose  gross  features  and  sleepy  eyes  com 
pared  unfavorably  with  many  of  the  other  tribes. 

Many  had  sat  in  council  whose  appearance  of 
greater  intelligence  she  believed  might  be  an  index  to 
more  humane  hearts.  Ah  !  humanity  never  had  any 
part  in  uie  emotions  of  any  of  those  monsters,  whose 
hands  had  desolated  Maple  Range,  and  were  destined 
to  wipe  out  of  existence  other  frontier  towns.  Mrs. 
Ellis  was  ignorant  of  the  extent  of  their  outrages,  and 
sometimes  felt  almost  a  criminal  when  she  reflected 
upon  her  own  work  of  murder  and  arson. 

The  sun  was  still  low  in  the  eastern  sky  when  the 
squaws,  accompanied  by  a  few  Indians,  started  on  the 
trail,  taking  great  care  to  step  in  each  other's  foot 
marks  for  a  long  way,  to  deceive  the  whites  whom 
they  feared  would  soon  be  upon  their  track.  Orders 


268  MAPLE   RANGE. 

were  also  given  not  to  break  any  bushes  upon  the 
wayside,  or  to  displace  any  object  lying  near  it. 
Great  care  was  taken  that  the  captives  left  no  shred 
of  clothing  or  any  article  that  might  be  a  clue  to  their 
route. 

The  rapid  traveling,  added  to  the  mental  excite 
ment  of  the  prisoners,  told  fearfully  upon  them,  and 
great  suffering  was  the  consequence.  Mrs.  Ellis  set 
herself  at  once  to  acquire  the  Yankton  dialect,  conning 
the  lessons  as  she  marched,  and  taking  them  from  the 
living  text.  Her  success  furnished  amusement  to  the 
squaws,  who  applauded  with  hideous  grins  whenever 
she  mastered  a  word  or  sentence.  She  experienced 
less  pain  from  the  forced  marches  than  a  more  deli 
cate  woman,  a  Mrs.  Cummings,  and  her  children,  who 
were  fellow-captives  and  plodded  despondingly  along. 
She  always  accepted  her  fate,  if  not  cheerfully,  at 
least  with  a  determination  to  make  the  best  of  it. 
Difficulty  was  always  an  incentive  to  her,  but  she  had 
wonderful  health  and  strength  and  was  spared  the 
suffering  her  poor  neighbor  experienced— that  of  see 
ing  her  hungry,  weary  children  hurried  on  by  the 
goads  of  the  heartless  wretches.  She  felt  deepest 
sympathy  with  that  poor  mother  and  the  objects  of 
her  solicitude,  and  tried,  in  many  ways,  to  alleviate 
their  distress,  which  was  the  more  difficult  inasmuch 
as  an  expression  of  sympathy  was  sure  to  result  in 
greater  hardships  imposed  upon  the  recipient.  After 
three  or  four  days  of  constant  travel  by  day,  and 
sleeping  on  the  hard,  damp  ground  at  night,  the 
little  creatures  were  completely  worn  out. 

Toward  night  one  little  girl  began  to  cry  ;  her 


A  MOTHER'S  STRATEGY.  269 

mother  stooped  to  take  her  in  her  arms,  when  a  squaw 
interfered  and  separated  them,  which  increased  the 
child's  crying,  in  which  the  other  children  now  joined, 
through  sympathy  and  terror.  Mrs.  Ellis  felt  such 
pity  for  both  mother  and  children,  that  she  ventured 
to  plead  for  them.  What  was  her  horror  then,  when, 
with  the  look  of  a  demon,  the  squaw  caught  up  a 
billet  of  wood  and  deliberately  pounded  the  little  child 
to  death  ;  then  severing  the  head  from  the  body,  she 
held  it  toward  Mrs.  Ellis,  saying  : 

; '  Here  !  take  the  part  that  cried  !  " 

Mrs.  Ellis'  blood  curdled  at  this  ghastly  cruelty, 
and  recalling  the  Indians  whose  death  she  had  caused, 
she  pronounced  it,  not  murder,  but  demon-slaughter, 
exclaiming  in  the  best  Yankton  she  was  mistress  of : 

'"You  can  not  be  a  woman!  God  never  gave  a 
heart  of  stone  to  one  who  might  be  a  mother  !  " 

The  hag  heard  her  with  apparent  indifference  ;  yet 
she  was  observed  to  show  many  favors  to  Mrs.  Ellis 
after  that ;  not  that  she  was  in  any  degree  impressed 
by  her  words,  but  simply  because  she  admired  her 
courage  in  speaking  them.  Such  scenes  of  cruelty 
were  rife  throughout  their  journey.  They  penetrated 
forests  that  seemed  interminable  ;  ascended  long  rivers 
in  birch-bark  canoes  ;  climbed  rugged  heights.  Ere 
the  journey  was  half  completed,  save  Mrs.  Ellis, 
every  pale  face  had  succumbed  to  exposure  or  ill- 
treatment,  and  the  sorrow-laden  hearts  had  found  in 
death  the  peace  they  prayed  for.  Her  physical 
endurance,  wonderful  though  it  was,  was  severely 
tried,  and  was  daily  the  subject  of  her  morning 
prayers,  as  of  her  evening  thanksgiving.  She,  each 


270  MAPLE    RANGE. 

day,  felt  new  faith  in  Him  who,  she  believed,  would 
guard  her  wandering  and  at  last  open  the  way  for  her 
return.  As  night  fell,  on  the  twelfth  day  after  leav 
ing  home,  she  noticed  that  the  foremost  of  the  long 
train  disappeared,  one  by  one,  and  at  last  they,  in 
'turn,  came  upon  what  seemed  indeed  "the  jumping- 
off  place."  In  the  twilight  before  her  lay  a  vast 
"  hole  in  the  earth."  They  were,  in  reality,  winding 
down  the  steep  sides  of  a  precipice  that  towered  hun 
dreds  of  feet  above  a  little  valley  scarcely  a  quarter 
of  a  mile  in  width,  and  less  than  a  mile  long.  At  the 
upper  extremity  was  a  clear  lake  whose  outlet,  a 
beautiful  little  brook,  ran  along  the  base  of  the  bluff, 
the  whole  length  of  the  valley.  This  brook  tumbled 
noisily  through  the  channel  formed  by  the  bluffs  that 
surrounded  it.  From  the  prairie  above,  the  trail 
wound  curiously  down,  from  ledge  to  ledge.  Its 
descent,  nevertheless,  was  not  without  danger  to  inex 
perienced  feet.  Mrs.  Ellis'  heart  sank,  as  she  under 
took  it,  in  the  gathering  darkness.  But  the  steady 
pressure  of  the  mass  behind  compelled  her  to  keep  close 
to  the  gradually  moving  mass  before  her.  At  last,  all 
had  descended  into  this  natural  fortress.  They  crossed 
the  stream  on  the  one  log  that  served  as  bridge,  and 
filed  on  in  a  darkness  deepened  by  the  lofty  walls  of 
solid  rock.  Fires  soon  lighted  up  the  curious  place. 
Part  of  the  squaws  prepared  supper,  and  the  rest 
drew  blankets  over  the  tepee  poles,  that  showed 
it  to  be  an  old  camping  ground  ;  in  reality,  it  had 
been  for  many  generations.  This  place  a  few  deter 
mined  warriors  might  hold  against  tremendous  odds, 
and  so  it  had  been  held,  time  after  time,  in  the  wars 


A  MOTHER'S  STRATEGY.  271 

with  adjacent  tribes.  The  waters  of  the  brook  were 
full  of  speckled  trout,  while  the  lake  abounded  in  fish. 
The  great  prairie  above  was  alive  with  wild  fowl, 
antelope  and  deer.  The  forest  that  crowned  the 
opposite  bluff  was  the  home  of  elk,  moose  and  bear. 

Supper  being  over,  the  tired  savages  sought 
repose,  with  heads  to  the  fire  and  "  feet  to  the 
foe,"  each  family  lying  in  a  circle,  on  the  ground. 
Mrs.  Ellis  had  fallen  to  the  ownership  of  the  principal 
chief,  old  "Running  Moose,"  who,  like  the  animal 
from  which  he  derived  his  name,  could  run  three 
days  and  nights  continuously. 

(La  Honton  relates  that  the  Indians  told  him  "The 
moose  could  trot  three  days  and  nights  without  inter 
mission  ; "  and  there  are  incidents  recorded  of  Indians 
trotting  a  hundred  miles  between  sunrise  and  sunrise, 
without  once  breaking  gait.) 

The  family  of  Running  Moose  consisted  of  one 
wife  and  two  papooses,  and  these,  with  most  of  the 
other  women  and  children,  had  been  transported  in 
advance,  though  overtaken  on  the  previous  day's 
journey. 

Before  midnight  Mrs.  Ellis  could  see  by  the  firelight 
that  she  was  alone  in  her  wakefulness.  She  was  too  tired 
to  sleep,  though  she  courted  the  god  of  slumber,  in  the 
hope  that  dreams  might  relieve  the  homesick  heaviness 
of  her  soul.  She  turned  upon  her  couch,  the  hard  earth, 
and  tried  one  position  and  another,  to  find  them  equally 
painful,  and  sleep  equally  coy.  A  strange  bird  in  a 
neighboring  tree-top  began  to  sing.  As  Mrs.  Ellis 
listened  to  this  minstrel  of  the  morning,  the  thought 
came  unbidden,  and  with  it  her  tears  : 


272  MAPLE   RANGE. 

"  At  this  hour  my  children  would  waken  and  twine 
their  arms  about  my  neck,  each  boasting  of  the  biggest 
love.  How  many  heartaches  must  I  know  before  I 
hear  again  those  sweet  childish  voices." 

Such  thoughts  made  sleep  impossible  for  her. 
She  got  up  and  went  out  of  the  wigwam.  As  the 
day  dawn  made  objects  more  distinct,  she  for  the  mo 
ment  forgot  her  sorrow  in  the  interest  wakened  by  the 
many  curious  things  she  saw.  The  trees  were,  many 
of  them,  covered  with  the  hieroglyphics  of  departed 
generations.  The  bark,  't  is  true,  was  peeled  off,-  but 
still  the  trees  had  grown  so  as  to  leave  the  uncouth 
records,  deep  indentures,  gray  with  the  mould  of  the 
ages.  Close  by  were  the  mounds  in  which  the  writers 
of  those  strange  books  lay  buried.  Golden  says  : 

"•These  trees  are  the  annals  of  the  five  nations.  I 
have  seen  many  of  them  ;  and  by  them  and  their  war 
songs,  they  preserve  the  history  of  their  achieve 
ments." 

So  absorbed  was  she  in  the  reflections  awakened 
by  these  strange  records  of  ancient  history,  that  an 
Indian  got,  unperceived,  to  her  side.  She  did  not 
hear  him,  but  that  peculiar  sense  which  tells  us,  even 
in  the  dark,  that  we  are  not  alone,  induced  her  to 
turn  around.  He  stood  with  raised  musket,  intending 
to  strike  her.  (He  evidently  thought  her  lonel}r  posi 
tion  pointed  to  flight.)  She  quickly  caught  his  weapon 
and,  looking  full  in  his  face,  said  : 

"You  would  not  strike  me  till  my  book  is  read. 
Tell  me  about  these  pictures,  these  mounds,"  and  she 
pointed  to  the  trees  and  the  mounds,  and  the  pyra 
midal  piles  of  rock. 


A  MOTHEK'S  STKATEGY.  273 

"  Records  of  the  red  man's  deeds,  older  than  the 
trees  that  bear  them,"  he  said,  and  then  as  she  cast  a 
glance  of  inquiry  at  the  mounds,  he  shook  his  head 
mournfully  as  he  went  on,  "Count  the  trees,  and  know 
the  age  in  generations  of  our  people,  count  the  leaves 
and  know  how  many  red  men  sleep  in  these  full 
graves."  He  turned  his  look  to  follow  hers  and  con 
tinued,  "With  stones  we  tell  our  numbers,  and  every 
twelve  moons  pile  as  many  stones  as  there  are  red  men 
in  our  tribe.  When  the  piles  equal  in  number  the  years 
of  one  age,  we  make  a  record  on  the  trees,  and  unbuild 
the  piles." 

Though  he  spoke  but  broken,  imperfect  English, 
and  she  but  very  imperfect  Yankton,  they  learned  the 
import  of  each  other's  words  enough  to  conduct  a  very 
pleasant  conversation  considering  their  relative  posi 
tions. 

Mrs.  Ellis  was  saved  by  her  perfect  coolness  and 
self  control.  Had  she  attempted  to  fly  from  that  up 
lifted  gun  she  would  have  been  lost,  but  so  cleverly 
had  she  averted  his  immediate  purpose,  that  at  last 
forgetting  it  altogether,  he  walked  away  from  her  to 
shoot  a  pheasant  his  dog  had  treed,  while  she  went 
leisurely  back  to  the  lodge  in  time  to  assist  in  the 
preparation  of  breakfast,  after  which  she  was  assigned 
to  some  light  task  of  needle  work  wherein  she  soon 
proved  her  usefulness.  The  next  day  she  was  sold  for 
a  pony  to  another  chief,  One-e-ah-tah,  whose  lodge  lay 
at  the  lower  end  of  the  valley,  while  that  of  Running 
Moose  occupied  a  position  on  the  lake  shore  at  the 
upper  end.  She  went  very  reluctantly  for  her  mis 
tress  had  been  an  easy  sort  of  a  squaw,  the  children 
& 


274:  MAPLE   EANGE. 

gave  her  no  trouble  and  Running  Moose  did  not  of 
fend  her  by  attentions  of  any  kind.     At  the  wigwam 
of  her  new  owner  she  could  see  she  was  not  very  wel 
come.      He  was  something  of  a   Mormon,  and   his 
household   had   several    divisions    or    compartments 
already,  each  dedicated  to   the  use   of    one   of    his 
wives.     For  a  day  or  two  she  got  along  very  com. 
fortably,  for  he  was  away  on  a  hunt  accompanied  by 
some  of  his  squaws  whose  task  it  always  is  to  bring 
home  the  game.      When  One-e-ah-tah  returned  how 
ever  she  was  given  to  understand  that  her  place  would 
be  nearer  him  than  was  at  all  agreeable.     His  lasciv 
ious  glances,   and   patronizing   gallantries,    were    so 
revolting  to  her  that  she  was  continually  revolving  in 
her  mind  some  plan  to  avoid  him.     Suddenly  remem 
bering  that  the  wampum — touching  which  is  the  oath 
of  an  Indian — had  not  been  used  to  ratify  her  trans 
fer,  and  that  a  question  might  be  raised  as  to  his  own 
ership  of  her,  she  bethought  herself  of  a  plan  worth 
trying.     (Any  plan  to  elude  old  One-e-ah-tah's  perse 
cutions    would    be    hailed    eagerly    by    the   appre 
hensive    women.)      Watching    for   a   favorable    op 
portunity    she    escaped    to    the    lodge   of  Running 
Moose,  who  flattered  by  her  apparent  preference,  and 
pleased  with  her  acuteness  in  discovering  the  omission, 
took  her  immediately  under  his  protection  on  the  plea 
that  the  sale  was  invalid.      He  lost  no  time  though  in 
disposing  of  the  pony  to  another  Indian,  this  time 
taking  care  to  bind  the  bargain. 


I   TOLD  YOU   SO."  275 


CHAPTER     XIV. 

"l   TOLD  YOU   SO." 

A  CCORDING  to  all  writers  of  Indian  history, 
-LJL  both  the  calumet  and  wampum  are  held  in 
universal  reverence  by  the  savages.  Of  the  first 
Marquette  says : 

' '  I  must  here  speak  of  the  calumet,  the  most  mys 
terious  thing  in  the  world.  The  sceptres  of  our  kings 
are  not  so  much  respected,  for  the  savages  have  such  a 
deference  for  this  pipe,  that  we  may  call  it  the  God  of 
Peace  and  War — the  arbiter  of  life  and  death." 

Hennepin  describes  it  as  follows : 

"The  head  is  finely  polished,  and  the  quill  which 
is  commonly  two  and  a  half  feet  long,  is  made  of 
strong  reed.  They  tie  to  it  two  wings  of  the  most 
curious  bird  that  flies." 

La  Honton  says : 

"The  red  calumets  are  the  most  esteemed.  They 
are  trimmed  with  white,  yellow  and  green  feathers, 
and  have  the  same  effect  among  the  savage  races  that 
the  flag  of  truce  and  friendship  has  with  us  ;  to  vio 
late  the  rights  of  this  venerable  pipe  is  with  them  a 
flaming  crime." 

The  poet  Street  sang : 


276  MAPLE   RANGE. 

"Whilst  high  he  lifted  in  his  hand 

That  sign  of  peace,  the  calumet, 
So  sacred  to  the  Indian  soul 

With  its  stem  of  reed,  and  its  dark  red  bowl 
Flaunting  with  feathers,  white,  yellow  and  green." 

Without  touching  the  wampum  no  contract  is  con 
sidered  binding,  as  it  is  the  sign  of  the  completion 
and  perpetuity  of  all  transactions,  sealing  the  vali  dity 
of  all  their  treaties. 

"This  belt  preserves  my  words." 

"This  colier  (belt  of  wampum)  confirms  my 
speech." 

These  expressions  occur  many  times  in  the 
speeches  of  La  Barre  and  Garangula,  in  their  famous 
interviews  described  by  La  Honton. 

"Without  the  intervention  of  these  belts,"  says 
that  writer,  "there  is  no  business  transacted,  no  nego 
tiation  among  the  savages,  for,  being  unacquainted 
with  writing,  they  make  use  of  them  for  contracts  and 
obligations." 

One-e-ah-tah  submitted  gravely  to  a  loss  of  prop 
erty  that  was  the  result  of  his  own  carelessness. 
Mrs.  Ellis  was  put  to  work  by  the  wife  of  Running 
Moose,  fashioning  and  remaking  garments,  with  such 
approach  to  the  prevailing  styles  among  the  whites  as 
the  material  furnished  would  allow.  Cosmopolitan 
' '  la  mode  "  is  as  arbitrary  in  the  woods  as  in  the  cit 
ies,  and  presides  over  the  making  of  the  squaw's  one 
yearly  garment  of  broadcloth  as  much  as  over  that  of 
the  plain  drab  dress  of  the  Quakeress,  and  the  multi 
tudinous  articles  that  comprise  the  wardrobe  of  a  city 
belle.  White  women  at  that  period  wore  enormous 


"I   TOLD   YOU   SO."  S77 

hoops  and  many  yards  of  material  were  required  to  give 
sufficient  length  and  fullness  to  the  dress.  The  nar 
row  broadcloth  skirts  of  the  squaw,  haply  all  of  blue, 
were  subjected  to  no  end  of  piecing  and  supplement 
ing  to  bring  them  to  suitable  width  to  cover  the  huge 
imitations  in  willow  of  the  "  skeleton  "  in  vogue  with 
white  ladies.  The  outer  garment,  or  skirt,  would,  ex 
panded  to  its  full  dimension,  hang  with  never  a  re 
lieving  fold,  and  much  abbreviated  in  length,  dis 
played  the  nicely  fitted  moccasin,  and  often  consider 
ably  more.  The  wife  of  Running  Moose  had  command 
of  more  material  than  the  other  squaws,  and  her 
dress  was  more  easily  made  to  conform  to  Mrs.  Ellis 
taste. 

She  made  her  appearance  one  day  in  a  new,  long 
trailing  dress  of  blue,  tastefully  expanded.  Her 
frilled  and  neatly  buttoned  sacque  of  brown  merino 
was  confined  at  the  waist  with  a  belt  to  match  her 
exquisite  bead  necklace  and  wristbands,  and  elicited  a 
hum  of  admiration  among  the  feminines.  In  compar 
ison  with  her,  the  comet  sank  to  a  miserable  ten  cent 
side  show.  The  members  of  One-e-ah-tah's  harem 
were  filled  with  burning  envy,  and  he  was  forthwith 
besieged  and  implored  to  ' '  buy  Mrs.  Ellis  back  and 
put  a  stop  to  the  triumph  of  Mrs.  Running  Moose," 
that  the  victory  might  be  secured  to  their  end  of  the 
valley. 

He  had  sundry  reasons  for  listening  to  their  peti 
tions,  of  which  his  weaker  halves  (or  quarters)  were 
ignorant,  and  resolved  to  get  possession  of  Mrs. 
Ellis  once  more.  He  was  a  cautious,  wary  old  chief, 
and  reckoned  upon  his  revenge  for  the  loss  of  his 


278  MAPLE  RANGE. 

pony  in  her  aversion  to  him.  Knowing  that  Running 
Moose  was  an  inveterate  jockey,  he  thought  he  would 
only  have  to  make  the  offer  to  buy  and  she  would  be 
his  forthwith.  But  he  had  for  once  "reckoned  with 
out  his  host."  Though  Miladi  declared  she  had  no 
more  use  for  Mrs.  Ellis,  no  sewing  to  do  for  a  whole 
year,  and  no  work  in  the  lodge  for  her,  and  she  was 
not  strong  enough  to  fish  and  hunt ;  though  white 
women  were  not  to  his  taste,  and  were  not  included  in 
the  market  quotations,  still  Running  Moose  absolutely 
refused  to  part  with  her ;  at  least,  he  would  not  sell 
her  to  One-e-ah-tah. 

The  affair  was  dropped  for  a  fortnight.  One  day 
a  miserable  dog  of  an  Indian,  a  dependent  on  village 
charity,  proposed  buying  her.  He  had  no  squaw  to 
cook  his  samp  when  it  was  given  him,  and  he  thought 
he  might  make  Mrs.  Ellis  catch  fish,  trap  woodchuck 
and  decoy  birds  enough  to  keep  his  soul  and  body  to 
gether.  He  offered  for  her  an  old  arquebuse  (a 
clumsy  gun,  the  pioneer  of  the  musket),  the  only 
property  he  had  in  the  world,  useless  by  reason  of  his 
laziness,  and  the  offer  was  accepted.  Running  Moose 
took  the  old  weapon,  hung  it  up  on  a  hook  where  half 
a  dozen  more  modern  ones  were  hanging,  and  taking 
down  a  belt  of  wampum,  said  to  Mrs.  Ellis  : 

"  Do  n't  come  back  again.  You  are  Six  Toes'  (by 
some  accident  he  had  lost  four  toes,  hence  the  soubri 
quet)  slave;  by  this  wampum  he  holds  you." 

Mechanically  she  gathered  up  her  scissors  and 
thimble  and  put  them  in  her  pocket  (she  had  brought 
these  with  her  from  home).  She  took  out  a  fish  line 
and  reel  to  return  them  to  Mrs.  Running  Moose,  to 


"l   TOLD   YOU   SO."  279 

whom  they  belonged,  but  her  sharp-eyed  purchaser 
insisted  they  were  his,  they  having  been  in  her  pocket 
when  the  wampum  sealed  the  bargain.  Running 
Moose  assenting,  she  obeyed  him  and  putting  them 
back,  followed  her  new  owner  through  the  village 
down  the  valley.  His  tepee  lay  below  that  of  One-e- 
ah-tah,  and  as  they  passed,  that  chieftain,  who  sat 
smoking  in  his  doorway  on  a  handsome  mat,  saw 
them  and  at  once  comprehended  the  whole  transac 
tion.  Calling  to  Six  Toes. 

"  Me  buy  your  white  squaw,"  said  One-e-ah-tah. 

"  How  much  you  give?  "  asked  Six  Toes,  halting 
at  the  prospect  of  a  bargain. 

"  Peck  of  beans." 

"No!" 

"Two  pecks." 

"No!" 

"Three  pecks." 

"No!" 

"Bagful." 

"Yes!" 

An  imaginary  bean  porridge  was  already  cooling 
under  Six  Toes'  olfactories.  At  this  Mrs.  Ellis  de 
termined  to  either  win  her  liberty  or  lose  her  life. 

One-e-ah-tah's  harem  had  heard,  and  visions  of 
gorgeous  apparel  danced  in  the  near  perspective. 
One-e-ah-tah  heard,  and  his  savage  face  was  lit  up  with 
the  flame  of  passion  long  repressed,  of  vengeance 
long  deferred.  He  said  to  her, 

"Take  these  beans  to  Six  Toes'  lodge." 

"What!  and  for  that  paltry  price  become  your 
slave  \  No,  sir  !  I  know  I  am  worth  more  than  a 


280  MAPLE   RANGE. 

bag  of  beans,  and  I  intend  to  march  till  I  am  quoted 
at  par." 

Her  intention,  apparently  so  wild  and  barren  of  all 
hope,  was  not  realized  by  them  until  she  had  turned, 
and  was  flying  at  a  desperate  speed,  death  behind  her, 
home  before  her,  down  the  green  slope  to  the  stream, 
which,  by  recent  rains,  was  swollen  even  with  its 
banks.  She  bounded  upon  the  spanning  log.  Her 
weight  was  just  sufficient  to  loose  it  from  the  bank, 
and  it  swung  round  with  her  to  the  other  side,  where, 
by  a  lariat  loop  it  was  fastened  to  a  stump.  She 
slipped  the  noose  off  the  stump,  and  swiftly  winding 
it  about  the  log  and  her  limbs  so  as  to  make  her  hold 
secure,  she  laid  prone  upon  the  floating  spar.  Just  as 
the  whole  yelling  pack  of  squaws,  Indians  and  dogs 
reached  the  stream,  her  rolling  bark  whirled  into  the 
seething  current.  Their  arrows  flew  thick  about  her, 
yet  harmless,  for  tumbling  over  and  over,  she  was  as 
often  below  the  surface  as  above. 

She  rode  those  blinding  waters  as  though  a  part  of 
the  log  to  which  she  grimly  clung.  She  had  no  sen 
sation  of  fear  from  drowning  ;  that  fate  was  infinitely 
preferable  to  recapture.  She  heard  the  unearthly  yells 
of  the  chase,  for  they  followed  her  down  along  the 
bank  of  the  stream,  hoping  by  some  chance  she  might 
drift  ashore,  toward  the  narrow  gorge  above  the 
rapids,  which  they,  with  her,  believed  to  be  the  very 
gate  of  death.  But  now  the  rocks  along  the  shore, 
and  other  impediments,  hindered  their  advance,  and 
glancing  back  at  their  baffled,  hellish  countenances, 
she  felt  a  pleasure  in  the  thought,  "  They  can  not  see 
me.  I  shall  die  alone/' 


"I   TOLD   YOU   SO."  281 

A  sob  for  the  children  who  would  wait  her  so  long, 
a  prayer  that  her  husband  might  be  spared  to  take 
care  of  them — and  with  a  resigned  expression,  "  Fath 
er!  to  thy  bosom,"  she  entered  the  wild,  narrow 
space  through  which  the  waters  madly  rushed,  with  a 
deafening  tumult  and  blinding  spray  ! 

O  helpless  voyager  !  no  human  hand  can  guide  thy 
bark  ;  no  human  hand  can  stay  thy  course  ! 

With  closed  eyes  and  gasping  for  breath,  she  had 
no  definite  thought,  only  a  dim  consciousness  of 
shocks  and  dashes  and  plunges,  so  rapid  that,  but  for 
the  security  of  the  lariat,  she  would  have  lost  her  hold 
a  hundred  times.  How  long  ere  her  feet  shall  step  in 
colder  flood  ?  Her  bark  is  still !  A  moment  of  won 
der,  and  clearing  her  eyes  of  the  spray  she  looks  up 
to  see  her  long  craft  fast,  diagonally  across  the  stream 
just  above  the  yawning,  boiling  cataract,  a  bridge, 
reaching  from  rock  to  rock.  She  could  not  clearly 
make  out  her  position,  for  night  here  deepened  early 
owing  to  the  towering  rocks,  so  she  resigned  herself 
to  waiting  to  see  what  morning  should  reveal.  The 
position  left  her  feet  and  ankles  in  the  water.  To 
ward  morning  she  found  the  water  was  falling. 
Her  feet  could  not  feel  it. 

"  Better,"  she  thought,  "be  dashed  to  death,  than 
to  die  by  the  slow  torture  of  starvation,  or  the 
arrows  of  savages  who  may  reach  me  as  the  water 
recedes. " 

Filled  with  such  apprehensions,  she  moved  uneasily 
about,  until  she  reached — without  intending  it — the 
lower  end  of  the  log,  which,  she  found,  was  rest 
ing  on  a  shelf  or  opening  in  the  rock,  and  she  thought, 
12* 


282  MAPLE   RANGE. 

"Perhaps  this  friendly  cleft  is  large  enough  to 
hold  me." 

She  could,  however,  only  wait  for  increasing  light. 
But  at  last  her  expectant  eyes  discovered  a  friendly 
cavern,  inviting  her  to  enter  and  repose — an  invitation 
she  was  not  slow  to  accept,  as  her  position  on  that 
narrow  bridge  was  tiresome  in  the  extreme,  and  to 
sleep  upon  it  was  impossible.  She  slept  most  of  the 
day.  Toward  night,  undoing  her  fish  line,  she  caught 
some  trout. 

"  I  can  not  eat  them  raw,  yet !  Perhaps  I  may  be 
glad  to,''  she  said,  and  wrapping  them  in  her  apron, 
prepared  for  a  desperate  venture.  She  tied  her  fish- 
line  to  the  loop  or  noose  of  the  lariat,  and  dropped 
one  end  down  to  the  rocks  below  ;  then  she  put  the 
lariat  round  the  log,  slipped  it  through  the  noose, 
and  by  this  means  descended  to  the  rocks.  It  was 
dark,  but  she  found  the  fish  line,  and  with  it  drew 
down  her  friendly  lariat.  The  stream,  like  all  moun 
tain  streams,  rose  and  fell  quickly,  and  now  it  was  a 
subdued  and  decorous  brook,  and  she  found  it  easy  to 
creep  along  its  margin. 

"  I  will  go  boldly  up  and  take  my  chances  of  get 
ting  on  to  the  prairie,  by  the  only  way  I  know.  'T  is 
bristling  with  dangers,  not  the  least  being  the  red 
men,  who  will  show  me  no  mercy  if  I  fall  into  their 
hands  now." 

But  indeed  the  red  men  were  thrown  off  the  scent 
altogether.  They  had  searched  for  her  body  below 
the  rapids  all  day,  believing  it  a  physical  impossibility 
for  her  to  live  through  the  passage  of  that  gorge  and 
the  rapids  beyond.  She  had  now  crept  up  the  stream 


""I   TOLD   YOU   SO."  283 

so  long,  over  the  boulders,  that  her  hands  were  bleed 
ing  from  contact  with  their  sharp  edges,  and  her 
naked  feet  (she  had  worn  out  the  moccasins  that 
had  been  supplied  her  when  her  shoes  were  gone) 
were  very  weary  ;  yet  she  went  on,  thinking, 

"  'T  is  long,  but  why  so  still  ?  I  can  not  hear  the 
murmur  of  the  stream !  " 

Light  began  to  break  gradually,  and  she  feared 
the  day  would  dawn  just  as  she  had  to  pass  through 
the  village  !  What  should  she  do  then  ? 

She  stopped  a  moment  to  wipe  her  brow  and  get  a 
breath,  and  rising  up,  to  her  amazement,  she  stood 
upon  the  prairie.  She  had  followed  a  ravine  that, 
yesterday,  most  likely  was  a  torrent,  for  it  contained 
rocks  and  stones  similar  to  those  along  the  stream  she 
had  descended.  Her  pulse  beat  quick  with  hope,  and 
stretching  out  her  arms  she  ran  as  gleeful  as  a  child, 
in  the  direction  of  her  home.  She  knew  the  route, 
for  she  had  noted  its  every  feature  in  coming,  and 
besides,  in  her  clear  head  she  carried  a  natural  com 
pass.  If  only  she  could  strike  the  trail,  perhaps  she 
would  be  miles  upon  her  way  ere  morning.  A  fire 
across  the  prairie  attracted  her.  It  was  trees  burning 
in  a  ravine.  She  sat  down  by  a  smouldering  fire, 
broiled  her  fish  and  ate  them.  The  night  was  chilly 
— the  fire  so  grateful  that  she  was  overcome  by 
drowsiness,  and  dropping  upon  the  grass,  she  fell 
asleep. 

The  sun  was  high  in  the  sky  when  she  awakened 
and  looked  with  sudden  fright  about  her.  A  few  feet 
from  her  couch  was  a  yawning  chasm,  down  which  it 
was  wonderful  she  had  not  stumbled  in  the  dark.  A 


284  MAPLE   RANGE. 

pony  was  grazing  quietly  out  on  the  prairie  and  tow 
ard  it  she  crept,  in  the  Indian  manner,  through  the 
grass.  Now  her  practice  of  throwing  a  lariat  with 
the  squaws  served  her  a  good  turn  ;  practice  and  her 
strait  perhaps  gave  her  accuracy,  for  she  succeeded  in 
throwing  the  lasso  over  the  head  of  the  pony,  a  suc 
cess  which  had  never  before  attended  her  attempts. 
She  tied  some  dry  grass  in  her  apron  and  bound  it  on 
her  shoulders  in  such  a  way  that  it  looked  like  a  pa 
poose,  and  mounting  her  pony  a  la  squaw,  she  bound 
ed  away  toward  the  trail,  and  struck  it  just  at  sundown 
on  the  verge  of  the  woods.  All  night  she  rode  on. 
That  pony  was  used  to  long  trips  at  a  round  trot.  In 
the  morning  by  the  uncertain  light  of  early  dawn  she 
met  three  Indians.  She  passed  by  without  seeming  to 
notice  them  but  saw  by  a  side  glance  that  one  of 
them  sharply  scanned  the  pony.  About  ten  o'clock 
her  steed  turned  into  a  blind  trail  leading  to  a  little 
meadow  where  were  water  and  grass.  Dismounting 
and  remembering  the  Indian's  scrutiny  of  her  steed, 
she  made  a  more  critical  examination  of  him  than  she 
had  done  before  and  then  discovered  that  she  had  stol 
en  the  very  pony  for  which  she  had  been  sold.  Then  she 
identified  the  curious  Indian  as  its  former  owner.  She 
turned  the  pony  to  grass  while  she  searched  the  woods 
for  elm  bark  and  wild  berries  to  appease  her  hunger, 
after  which,  selecting  a  secluded  spot,  she  lay  down  to 
sleep.  She  was  wakened  two  hours  after  by  her  pony 
neighing.  Much  alarmed,  she  hurried  out  and  found 
him  resting  after  his  bait  and  having  evidently  been 
asleep.  Near  him  a  sharp-pointed  stick  had  been 
driven  into  the  ground,  to  the  top  of  which,  securely 


"I   TOLD   YOU    SO/'  285 

tied,  were  a  piece  of  her  own  ragged  dress  and  a  piece 
torn  from  a  dress  she  remembered  having  seen  worn 
by  Miannetta. 

What  could  this  mean?  She  was  not  long  left  to 
conjecture.  She  concealed  herself  in  the  long  grass, 
for  well  she  knew  that  device  was  a  warning  that 
Miannetta  was  near,  but  dared  not  openly  communi 
cate  with  her.  Volumes  might  be  filled  with  her 
hopes,  fears,  and  surmises  during  that  pregnant  half 
hour  which  Mrs.  Ellis  measured  by  still  pulse  and 
bated  breath.  The  silence  around  was  broken  at  last 
by  a  low  sweet  voice  speaking  her  own  name;  another 
moment  and  Miannetta  stood  by  her.  Greetings  were 
fervent  but  hurried. 

"You  must  mount  your  pony  and  ride  for  your 
life,"  said  Miannetta.  "Avoid  meeting  a  Yankton  ; 
from  other  bands  you  have  nothing  to  fear — they  will 
not  molest  the  prisoner  of  another  tribe.  I  was  on 
my  way  to  the  Yanktons  in  search  of  our  dear  little 
Nellie.  I  heard  a  white  woman  was  with  them." 

"Not  now,"  said  Mrs.  Ellis. 

"No,  she  is  drowned,  a  Yankton  told  me,"  said 
Miannetta  with  a  meaning  smile.  "  I  was  on  the  trail 
traveling  fast  when  your  pony  neighed.  I  turned  in 
here  and  found  him  and  the  piece  torn  from  your 
dress,  and  understood  all.  From  that  pony's  neigh  I 
knew  other  horses  must  be  near,  so  setting  up  the 
warning  to  you  I  hurried  back  to  protect  your  retreat, 
and  none  too  soon,  for  I  encountered  the  owner  of  this 
pony  looking  for  him.  To  his  inquiries  I  replied  that 
I  had  seen  a  pony  three  miles  to  the  sunset  of  us.  He 
turned  back,  but  seeing  the  track  of  this  animal, 


286  MAPLE    RANGE. 

wheeled  his  horse  and  pointed  to  it.  '  Yes,'  said  I, 
'  that  is  the  track  of  my  pony  feeding  now  in  the 
little  meadow  to  the  left.  I  came  back  here  to  get 
good  water.'  He  was  satisfied,  and  turning  his 
horse's  head  galloped  away.  We  have  both  many 
things  to  say,  but  to  do  so  would  be  to  risk  your  life; 
but  you  must  not  go  without  food,  take  this  piece  of 
dried  venison.  Turn,  take  this  trail  which  you 
remember  well.  God  help  you,  my  friend  !  Away  !  " 

She  struck  the  pony  with  a  stick  in  her  hand  and 
Mrs.  Ellis  was  flying  away  with  a  thankful  heart  that 
God  had  thus  raised  up  a  ' '  deliverer  "  from  imminent 
peril. 

She  kept  her  pony  at  full  speed.  '  Twas  well  for 
her  he  had  been  primed  by  hard  riding  under  heavy 
horsemen ;  now,  her  slight  weight  was  no  incon 
venience.  After  the  next  noon's  short  rest  and  bait, 
when  she  mounted  him,  he  seemed  still  quite  fresh 
and  soon  settled  down  to  the  steady  trot  which,  by  the 
rapid  recession  of  trees,  Mrs.  Ellis  knew  was  telling. 
She  smiled  as  she  patted  his  shining  brown  shoulder 
which  she  had  gratefully  rubbed,  as  well  as  his  black 
legs  and  dark  flanks,  and  said : 

"My  noble  fellow-chattel,  you  shall  never  depre 
ciate  in  value  as  I  have.  I  have  two  charming  little 
boys  whose  proud  care  it  will  be  to  groom  you. " 

Grass  being  more  easy  to  obtain  than  food  for  her 
self,  his  strength  never  seemed  to  flag  though  the 
farther  she  got  upon  her  way  the  more  she  favored 
him  and  let  him  rest,  though  rest  to  her  was  a  torture 
because  of  dreams  of  satisfying  repasts.  She  would 
waken  chilled  and  sick,  yet  full  of  hope  as  she  neared 


"l   TOLD   YOU    SO."  287 

the  settlements.  Once  she  came  to  a  nice  log  farm 
house  where  she  found  food  in  the  cellar^  A  cow 
came  to  the  bars  with  her  calf.  Mrs.  Ellis  milked 
her,  and  O  !  the  delights  of  that  supper.  Here  her 
pony  also  fared  well  with  a  nice  feed  of  oats  in  the 
sheaf.  This  silent  home  h#d  been  deserted  by  the 
owner  and  his  family  through  fear  of  the  Indians. 
Mrs.  Ellis  spent  the  night  there  and  when  she  mount 
ed  Besom  in  the  morning  she  said : 

"One  more  long  ride  and  to-morrow  night  you 
shall  have  a  permanent  stable.1' 

She  had  procured  food  there  to  last  her  through, 
but  the  quality  scarcely  gave  her  the  strength  she 
needed  for  the  last  stretch.  She  was  terribly  ex 
hausted,  so  that  even  her  sleep  that  night  had  not  re 
freshed  her  and  it  was  a  painful  weary  journey  the 
next  day.  the  seventh  since  her  last  sale  to  One-e-ah- 
tah. 

The  shadows  of  the  maple  trees  grew  longer  and 
longer ;  something  troubled  her  throat,  the  great  chok 
ing  lumps  threatened  to  suffocate  her,  her  heart  kept 
up  an  incessant  pit-a-pat,  and  she  could  not  suppress 
hysterical  sobbings,  which  her  face  however  showed 
were  not  sorrowful  ones.  The  trail  now  lost  its  for 
est  appearance  and  was  nothing  more  than  a  well-trod 
den  cow-path  From  either  side  came  the  pastoral 
sound  of  familiar  cow-bells. 

Anon  her  pony  pricked  up  his  ears  and  neighed,  as 
he  struck  his  hoofs  into  the  soil  of  a  well-traveled 
road.      Around  a  curve  a  white  lamb  bounded,  and 
from  behind  him  two  childish  voices  rang : 
"Nanny,  Nanny,  Nanny!" 


288  MAPLE  RANGE. 

Mrs.  Ellis  sprang  from  her  seat,  and  holding  out 
her  hand,  it  was  instantly  recognized  and  licked.  The 
children  came  running  into  view,  stopped  in  astonish 
ment  an  instant,  and  then  the  woods  pealed  with  their 
glad  shouts  : 

"Mamma!  mamma! " 

Uncle  Carce  sat  smoking  on  the  doorstep.  Grand 
ma  was  getting  supper.  Both  ran  out  at  the  cries, 
and  saw  the  three  twined  in  a  long,  close  embrace. 
A  mist  was  before  their  eyes,  but  grandma,  true  to 
her  sex,  first  found  speech — -and  that  speech  was  an 
other  characteristic  of  women, 

"There  now,  Carce,  I  told  you  so!" 


TWO   RECOGNITIONS.  289 


CHAPTER  XV. 

TWO     RECOGNITIONS. 

IT  was  December,  1862.  The  weather  was  extremely 
cold,  and  constant  rains  kept  the  roads  on  the 
Peninsula  bad ;  but  the  worst  could  be  found  at  Fal- 
mouth  and  atong  the  Rappahannock,  where  the  Army 
of  the  Potomac,  under  command  of  Burnside  (Mo 
Clellan  had  been  relieved  in  November),  was  encamped. 
The  rebel  batteries  were  frowning  upon  the  heights 
beyond  the  city  of  Fredericksburg.  Rebel  sentinels, 
buttoned  to  their  chins,  paced  briskly  back  and  forth, 
puffing  the  smoke  of  their  pipes  over  toward  the  Fed 
eral  pickets,  within  speaking  distance,  in  a  way  that 
was  sometimes  considered  insolent ;  but  such  insolence 
was  now  disregarded.  On  the  eleventh,  the  city  was 
shelled  by  our  troops,  and  pontoon  bridges  laid,  amid 
the  hot  hail  of  the  sharp-shooters  safely  hidden  in  the 
houses  and  church  steeples  opposite.  Of  the  soldiers 
engaged  in  laying  the  bridges,  three  out  of  every 
five  fell  at  their  work  ;  but  another  gallant  trio  in 
every  instance  took  their  places.  The  interruptions, 
however,  were  so  frequent  and  fatal,  that  it  was 
thought  expedient  to  send  a  force  to  dislodge  the  con 
cealed  foe.  Several  companies  volunteered  (that  of 
Captain  Ellis  among  them)  for  that  preliminary  ser 
vice,  which  was  accomplished  with  little  loss.  The 
T  13 


290  MAPLE   RANGE. 

bridge  completed,  the  troops  marched  over  and  took 
possession  of  the  city. 

Two  days  afterward,  a  dreadful  battle  was  in  pro 
gress.  Cannon  rolled  out  their  death  sentence,  and 
the  musketry  was  deafening.  A  man,  in  soiled, 
tattered  garments,  erstwhile  a  handsome  Federal  uni 
form,  was  observed  to  step  out  from  the  ranks  of  the 
enemy  toward  Captain  Ellis,  evidently  with  the  pur 
pose  of  speaking  to  him,  but  fell,  whether  from  the 
effect  of  a  deadly  missile  or  not  was  not  evident  to 
his  only  observer. 

Long  Dave  Persons  marked  the  spot  with  his  clear, 
eagle  eye,  with  all  the  precision  possible  amid  that 
cloud  of  dust  and  smoke.  A  few  minutes  afterwards 
he  bent  over  that  ragged,  prostrate  form.  Turning  it 
over,  he  discovered  features  that  caused  the  rough  old 
woodsman  to  relieve  himself  of  expressions  of  surprise 
and  emotion,  far  more  forcible  than  elegant.  He  raised 
the  unconscious  man  as  easily  and  tenderly  as  an 
infant,  and  carried  him  away,  past  the  shrieking 
groups  of  wounded,  past  the  silent  dead.  Dave 
hurried  to  the  hospital,  in  a  church,  where  he  laid  him 
down,  and  stood  anxiously  beside  the  surgeon  while 
he  examined  him.  He  caught  the  words  of  the  report 
with  avidity. 

' '  Not  wounded  ?   Good  God !  what  ails  him  then  ? " 

"  Exhaustion,  my  good  fellow  !  He 's  been  starved 
and  exposed  to  some  terrible  privations.  Look  at  his 
cadaverous  face  and  his  poor,  maimed  feei !  Oh,  this 
is  a  cruel  war  indeed  !  " 

"Why,  must  he  die,  doctor?"  said  Dave,  while 
bis  white  lip  quivered. 


TWO  RECOGNITIONS.  291 

"  With  good  nursing,  he  might  recover,  I  think," 
was  the  reply. 

Tears  rolled  down  the  bronzed  cheek  of  the  soldier 
as  he  grasped  both  hands  of  the  kind-hearted  surgeon, 
and  looking  into  his  face,  said  : 

"Doctor,  save  his  life  if  possible.  After  the 
battle  I  will  come  and  help  you  nurse  him— yes,  I 
will,  in  spite  of  captains,  generals,  or  even  the  Pres 
ident  of  the  United  States." 

He  was  gone.  Ten  minutes  afterward,  his  regiment 
charged  those  stone  walls,  fortifications  which,  situ 
ated  as  they  were,  might  defy  the  armies  of  the  earth, 
and  whence  death  had  been  dealt  to  thousands  who 
had  attempted  the  impossible  task  of  carrying  them 
by  storm. 

Half  way  up  the  heights,  and  half  their  number 
lay  dead  or  dying ;  still,  undaunted,  they  pressed  on 
through  the  smoke.  Ah  !  't  was  repulse  again  !  The 
disastrous  field  was  strewn  with  the  mangled,  valiant 
dead,  who  had  not  questioned,  had  not  hesitated,  but 
obedient  to  the  shrill  "Charge!"  had  rushed  on,  to 
fall  in  the  great  rivers  of  blood  where  no  living  man 
could  stand. 

Among  the  devoted  dead,  none  more  worthy  of  a 
tear  than  brave,  generous  Dave  Persons,  who  lay 
among  the  upper  tier,  nearest  the  "mouth  of  hell," 
where  he  had  been  arrested  and  detained  by  a  stronger 
power  than  "captain  or  President,"  even  that  of  the 
King  of  Kings.  Nor  mother,  nor  wife,  nor  child  shall 
mourn  him,  for  he  had  no  kindred  ties ;  but  a 
grateful  people  will  hallow  his  memory,  in  that  he 
died  in  the  service  of  their  mother  country. 


292  MAPLE    RANGE. 

After  this  useless  effusion  of  blood,  a  council  of 
war  was  held,  and  it  was  decided  that  the  enterprise 
of  taking  Fredericksburg  should  be  for  the  present 
abandoned.  The  army  recrossed  the  Rappahannock 
under  the  cover  of  darkness.  The  retreat  was  accom 
plished  and  the  bridges  partly  removed,  before  the 
rebels  discovered  the  movement. 

The  unnecessary  slaughter  on  those  dreadful  slopes 
of  Fredericksburg,  had  a  very  depressing  effect  upon 
the  army  as  it  took  its  old  position  on  the  muddy 
banks  of  the  Rappahannock,  where,  depressed  and 
chilled,  it  gazed  on  the  renewed  insolence  of  rebel  sen 
tinels,  and  waited  }^et  again.  The  Northern  press  was 
very  severe  in  its  criminating  tone,  and  of  all  positions, 
civil  or  military,  the  least  enviable  at  that  time  was 
that  of  the  General  commanding. 

The  wounded  were  sent  to  Acquia  Creek,  where 
they  suffered  exceedingly  in  consequence  of  inade 
quate  sanitary  stores,  poor  buildings  and  the  inclement 
weather. 

One  cold  December  morning  following  a  night  of 
great  mortality  in  the  hospital,  an  old  gentleman  and 
young  lady  moved  slowly  down  between  the  long 
rows  of  cots,  peering  wistfully,  though  politely  and 
with  evident  sympathy,  into  the  faces  of  the  sick  and 
wounded.  Save  an  occasional  word  of  comfort  to  the 
poor  fellows  as  they  passed,  they  spoke  but  little.  It 
was  Mr.  Meade  and  Alice,  in  search  of  their  son  and 
brother,  "Walter,"  who  was  known  to  have  been  in 
the  recent  battle,  but  of  whom  no  tidings  had  been 
obtained  since.  They  had  come  down,  hoping  a  search 
in  the  hospital  might  reward  them.  Many  of  the 


TWO   RECOGNITIONS.  293 

men  were  sleeping,  and  their  hearts  sometimes  beat 
with  quicker  throbs,  as  the  cast  of  a  face  in  repose, 
or  the  tone  of  some  speaker,  suggested  the  lineaments 
and  voice  of  him  they  sought,  and  yet,  following  the 
momentary  illusion  they  would  stand  face  to  face  with 
a  stranger.  In  all  the  forms  of  suffering,  humanity, 
there  had  been  no  recognition  of  their  own  flesh  and 
blood,  and  they  were  about  passing  out  the  door  when 
a  nurse  followed  them  hurriedly,  saying  : 

"You  seek  some  friend  ?  " 

"My  son,"  said  Mr.  Meade. 

"Follow  me,  please  !  I  was  attending  a  man  who 
has  been  very  low,  but  is  mending.  As  you  passed, 
he  appeared  to  recognize  you,  but  fainted  directly 
you  went  on." 

While  she  spoke,  they  were  rapidly  retracing  their 
steps,  and  now  stood  beside  the  pallet  of  the  wan-fea 
tured  man,  just  recovering  from  a  swoon.  As  he  opened 
his  magnificent  eyes,  Alice  threw  herself  beside  the 
cot. 

"  O  George !  my  darling,  whom  I  believed  dead  ! 
Father,  this  is  he  whom  I  have  mourned,  who  was  so 
wickedly  personated  by  another.  It  is  George  Lang- 
mere.  " 

Almost  beside  herself,  she  put  her  arms  about  his 
neck  and  embraced  him. 

Then  he  faintly  spoke, 

"  There  is  some  cruel  mistake  here.  My  name  is 
Herbert  Gray,  and  you — are  you  not  the  wife  of 
George  Lanymere  ?  " 

You  have  seen  the  electric  flash  athwart  a  leaden 
sky  light  up  the  heavens  for  an  instant,  then  all  again 


294  MAPLE   RANGE. 

has  been  enveloped  in  midnight  gloom.  So  the  face 
of  Alice,  supremely  radiant  with  sudden  hope,  as  his 
feeble  voice  pronounced  his  own  and  her  husband's 
name,  grew  still  and  pale  till  it  looked  like  chiseled 
marble.  Her  father,  with  an  apology,  unlocked  the 
hands  that  had  grown  rigid  in  their  clasp  about  Her 
bert's  neck,  and  taking  her  in  his  arms  carried  her  to 
the  carriage  and  drove  to  a  hotel,  where  she  was  many 
days  ill  and  delirious. 

That  meeting  had  been  a  peculiar  awakening  to 
the  pure  young  girl,  whose  ship,  freighted  with  gor 
geous  wealth,  had  sunk  months  before,  thousands  of 
fathoms  deep,  into  the  silent  waters  of  fate,  when  at 
Dr.  Bartholt's  she  had  married  an  impostor.  This 
was  the  man  she  meant  to  marry,  the  man  she  sup 
posed  was  the  veritable  Langmere,  with  whom  she 
had  corresponded;  and  behold,  now  he  announced  his 
name,  one  she  had  never  heard,  and  yet,  mystery  of 
mysteries,  he  seemed  familiar  with  the  fact  of  her 
marriage. 

"Who  shall  ever  unravel  the  skein  ? ' 
When  she  had  explained  all  this  to  her  father,  he, 
unknown  to  her,  visited  Herbert  again,  and  following 
the  impulse  of  his  honest  old  heart,  made  a  "clean 
breast "  of  the  whole  matter.  During  the  recital, 
Herbert  saw  the  villainy  of  Langmere  and  was  moved 
to  great  compassion  for  the  peculiar  position  of  Alice, 
whom  he  loved  all  the  more  deeply  that  she  owed  her 
terrible  predicament  to  love  of  him.  His  proud,  up 
right  nature  forbade  his  seeing  her,  but  he  sent  her 
assurances  of  esteem,  and  words  of  hope  for  a 
brighter  day. 


TWO   RECOGNITIONS.  295 

Capt.  Ellis  was  unremitting  in  his  care.  Gradu 
ally  strength  came  to  him,  Mr.  Meade  generously 
supplying  him  with  many  comforts  and  aids  to  speedy 
restoration,  alternately  taking  him  and  Alice  out  for 
air  in  an  easy  carriage.  In  one  of  these  long  rides 
he  learned  the  incidents  of  Herbert's  imprisonment 
and  sojourn  among  the  rebels. 

He  was  captured  by  Johnson's  black  cavalry. 
Pinioned  upon  a  horse  behind  a  brutal  fellow,  who, 
regardless  of  his  discomfort,  had  ridden  with  him 
"hither  and  yon,"  now  in  pursuit  of  flying,  demoral 
ized  Federals,  and  now  searching  for  stragglers. 
Once  he  saw  Dave  Persons  and  Gus  Harkness  lying 
prone  upon  their  faces,  beside  a  fallen  tree,  over 
which  the  horse  was  compelled  to  leap  at  the  risk  ot 
neck  and  limb.  He  tried  to  release  his  hand  to  drop 
to  them  some  trifling  token  of  recognition,  which 
might  serve  as  a  clue  to  his  fate,  but  he  was  too 
tightly  bound.  Watching  the  spot  as  the  urged  horse 
tore  madly  on,  he  saw  other  rebels  approach  very 
near,  thrusting  their  bayonets  at  random  through  tan 
gled  bushes  and  firing  into  clumps  of  brush  and  under 
growth.  He  believed  it  almost  impossible  for  them 
to  escape  ;  death  would  have  been  certain  had  they 
moved. 

Late  in  the  evening  he  was  carried  into  camp,  and 
after  being  exposed  to  the  rude  jests  of  common  sol 
diers  till  nearly  midnight,  he  was  contemptuously 
handed  over  to  the  custody  of  an  old  Arkansas  sharp 
shooter,  whose 

"Long  Polly  could  whisper  a  lullaby  at  three  hundred  yards  or 
more." 


296  MAPLE   RANGE. 

t 

Supperless  and  without  cover,  he  slept  on  the 
hard,  open  ground,  and  before  morning  was  drenched 
with  rain.  He  broke  his  long  fast  the  next  afternoon 
twenty-four  hours  after  his  capture,  when  the  train 
which  carried  him  was  well  on  the  way  toward  the 
Confederate  Inquisition,  the  tobacco  warehouses  of 
Richmond.  Of  the  long  months  of  torture  endured 
there,  his  experience  differed  not  materially  from  that 
of  others. 

The  vile  food  was  eaten  when  revolting  nature 
could  hold  out  no  longer.  The  loathsome  vermin 
infested  his  garments,  hitherto  the  subject  of  fastidi 
ous  care,  and  multiplied  in  the  little  sixteen-foot  room 
occupied  by  six  men  and  the  jailor's  dog.  It  is  not 
easy  to  conceive  of  the  emotions  of  one  so  situated, 
much  less  delineate  them.  Marmontal  said,  ' '  How 
can  I  take  portraits  before  I  have  seen  faces  ?  "  and 
how  can  I  presume  to  portray  the  wretchedness  of 
such- a  prisoner,  who  have  never  known  anything  like 
it.  It  is  so  easy  to  console  ourselves  for  the  miseries 
of  others  or  to  say,  if  so  situated,  we  would  find 
means  to  avert  or  mitigate  them.  It  is  as  impossible 
for  those  at  ease  to  realize  the  pain  of  perpetual  toil, 
as  for  those  who  toil  to  conceive  of  a  life  without 
task. 

Passing  over  this  period  of  monotonous  durance, 
let  us  examine  with  Herbert  Gray  the  forlorn  chances 
of  escape. 

He  has  come  to  be  a  favorite  of  the  rough  but 
heartsome  jailor,  who  is  greatly  indebted  to  him  for 
the  quiet  and  subordination  of  the  mutinous,  noisy 
fellows  under  his  charge.  Rebel  conscription  is  very 


TWO   RECOGNITIONS.  297 

close ;  every  man  it  is  possible  to  spare  from  places 
of  trust  is  in  the  army,  and  here  one  man  relieves  two 
or  three  in  the  twenty-four  hours.  It  is  not  wonder 
ful  that  the  turnkey  is  sometimes  drowsy  and  sleeps 
at  his  post,  and  Herbert  has  humanely  served  him 
many  times  while  he  has  snatched  repose,  when,  if 
discovered,  reprimand  would  be  very  severe.  Her 
bert  has  more  than  once  stood  guard  outside  the  door 
with  his  garments  on,  while  he  slept  just  within,  and 
as  no  good  chance  seemed  to  offer  or  his  courage 
would  fail  him  if  escape  seemed  possible,  he  had 
never  outraged  this  confidence  so  strangely  reposed 
in  him.  But  the  hour  came  when  courage  and  temp 
tation  coalesced. 

One  dark,  rainy  night,  the  jailor's  wife,  who  had 
been  very  sick  for  many  days,  sent  a  message  to  him 
to  hasten,  for  she  was  dying,  and  he  once  more  confided 
the  key  to  Herbert,  with  the  promise  to  return  in  a 
short  time.  Whether  he  did  or  not  we  shall  never 
know. 

The  prison  door  closed  behind  two  parties  of  three 
men,  who  had  resolved  to  risk  a  desperate  fate.  The 
leading  party,  consisting  of  Herbert  Gray,  Fred 
Steele,  a  Michigan  artilleryman,  and  Sumner  Burgess, 
a  citizen  of  Buffalo,  New  York,  whose  curiosity  had 
led  him  sight-seeing  to  Bull  Run.  They  threw  them 
selves  upon  the  sentinel  who  challenged  them  three 
feet  from  the  door,  bound  and  gagged  him,  and  laid 
him  carefully  inside  the  room  they  had  just  quitted 
forever.  It  was  quick  work,  for  those  men  "  kept 
time  by  heart-throbs,"  and  arm  in  arm  now  the  three 
named  (the  others  were  already  gone  in  the  gloom) 


298  MAPLE   KANGE. 

went  stealthily  down  the  streets,  Gray,  the  lay  figure, 
to  be  exhibited  as  required,  the  "  spokesman, "  Bur 
gess,  and  the  "man  of  news,"  Steele. 

They  ran  on,  they  knew  not  whither,  but  always 
instinctively  away  from  the  warehouses  and  the  street 
lamps.  The  rain  deadened  their  footsteps  on  the. 
pavement,  save  an  unfortunate  slipety-slap  that  regu 
larly  accompanied  Burgess,  whose  boot  was  so  worn 
that  upper  and  sole  parted  company  every  time  he 
'lifted  his  foot.  They  had  gone  some  distance  straight 
on,  having  said  "in  turning  there  may  be  doom," 
when  a  sudden  and  authoritative  "Halt!"  arrested 
them.  Burgess  blustered  out  in  genuine  Arkansas 
tones  : 

"Make  it  halter,  old  hoss,  and  we  are  at1  your  ser 
vice  in  no  time.  We  've  got  another  candidate  for  the 
maggot-shop.  We  clapt  hooks  on  him  jest  as  he 
crawled  into  the  lines  to-night,  an'  had  orders  to  pull 
him  through  on  the  double-quick,  though  we  \1  rather 
stretch  his  neck  than  his  legs  this  mi  nit.  But  we 
must  get  back  for  another  skunk  that  we  reckon  will 
try  the  same  hole.  So  give  us  the  watchword,  com 
rade,  and  save  delay  next  time  a  sentinel  bites  his 
word  off.  Hurry  up  your  cakes  !  " 

And  the  countersign  was  given  by  the  raw  sentry 
or  patrol,  and  they  went  on  rapidly,  ' '  slipety  slap, 
slipety  slap,"  through  dim-lighted  ways,  ever  straight 
on.  Once  a  fierce-looking  fellow  turned  the  blaze  of 
his  bull's-eye  full  into  their  faces,  and  aiming  a  revol 
ver  at  Burgess'  head,  halted  them  in  the  "name  of 
the  Confederate  States  and  commonwealth  of  Vir 
ginia." 


TWO   RECOGNITIONS.  299 

"The  same  name  commissioned  us  to  take  this 
man,  who  is  one  of  the  reliables,  to  division  head 
quarters,  where  he  will  make  valuable  disclosures 
concerning  the  enemy.  We  are  ordered  to  observe 
haste,  and  without  multiplying  words  with  those 
whose  business  it  is  to  demand  the  countersign,"  said 
Burgess,  respectfully  emphasizing  the  word  that  im 
plied  reproach,  which  the  guard  noticed  and  recov 
ered  his  lost  ground  by  immediately  and  sternly 
saying, 

"  I  demand  the  countersign  !  " 

"Stonewall,  "  said  Burgess,  coolly. 

"All  right.  Turn  to  the  left  the  next  corner  or 
you  will  be  on  the  old  bridge  that  is  very  unsafe  now. 
A  bad  night,  comrades,  a  bad  night." 

On  they  went  straight  to  the  "old  bridge," 
avoided  by  other  men,  therefore  offering  safety  to 
them.  A  brief  council  resulted  in  the  tearing  up  of 
three  planks,  upon  which  they  purposed  to  embark 
and  glide  with  the  current.  The  dark  waters  were 
not  more  cruel  than  the  enemy  in  whose  stronghold 
they  were. 

After  a  mute  grasping  of  hands,  more  eloquent 
than  speech  in  the  hour  of  peril,  they  launched  out 
into  the  darkness  upon  their  frail  planks  and  dropped 
silently  down  the  stream,  committing  their  souls  to 
Him  who  walked  upon  the  wave.  Once  fairly  poised 
and  in  the  current,  their  peril  lay  in  change  of  posi 
tion,  and  though  chilled  through  and  through,  Her 
bert  dared  not  risk  the  advantages  of  repose  in  one 
position.  Aching  and  stiff,  and  wet  below  by  the 


300  MAPLE   RANGE. 

river,  above  by  the  rain,  he  still  feared  the  dawn  and 
its  revelations,  but  it  came  at  last. 

Before,  behind,  on  either  side  of  hinTfog,  and  be 
side  himself,  as  far  as  he  could  penetrate  the  mist, 
not  a  solitary  voyager.  Guiding  his  raft  to  the  shore, 
he  clambered  up,  pulling  it  after  him,  and  hiding  in  a 
clump  of  bushes  under  a  shelving  bank,  he  lay  down, 
with  the  idea  of  remaining  there  till  darkness  again 

o  c? 

favored  navigation.  His  eye  fell  upon  a  peculiar  im 
pression  in  the  mushy  soil.  He  recognized  the  track 
of  Burgess'  broken  boot  and  with  something  of  his 
old  pleasantry  he  laughed  at  the  grotesque  mark,  re 
peating  audibly  Longfellow's — 

"  Some  forlorn  and  shipwrecked  brother 
Seeing  shall  take  heart  again!" 

The  darkness  being  so  many  hours  away,  he  was 
not  afraid  of  oversleeping  himself,  and  so  with  tanta 
lizing  dreams  of  food  and  fire,  he  spent  many  of  these 
hours,  waking  as  the  sun  sent  red  slant  rays  over  the 
water  into  his  chamber.  "As  night  dropped  her  cur 
tain  down  and  pinned  it  with  a  star,"  he  embarked 
again  upon  the  water,  and  floated  on  past  many  a 
guarded  spot  and  saw  the  sentry  on  his  lonely  beat. 
Many  times  he  was  painfully  near  discovery  but,  fav 
ored  by  fortune,  he  still  followed  the  merciful  waters. 

At  break  of  day  the  second  morning  he  heard 
dogs  barking  and  other  sounds  of  plantation  life. 
Hunger  impelled  him  strongly  to  follow  them.  He 
felt  that  he  must  make  some  effort  to  obtain  food. 
Without  it  he  would  be  too  weak  to  hold  on  to  his 


TWO   RECOGNITIONS.  301 

plank  ;  it  was  with  difficulty  even  now  be  drew  it  up 
the  bank.  He  lay  down  to  rest  a  little  after  the  effort 
of  pulling  it  out  of  the  water  and  almost  immediately 
dozed  ofi  into  slumber.  How  long  he  slept  he  could 
not  tell,  but  on  waking  he  heard  a  voice  chanting  in  a 
low  mournful  wailing  tone  something  like  a  hymn. 
Kaising  himself  on  his  elbow,  he  discovered  an  old 
negro  fishing,  with  his  boat  fastened  to  a  pile  of  drift 
wood.  Hunger  could  be  restrained  no  longer,  pru 
dence  was  cast  aside,  and  he  called  out : 

"Sell  me  a  fish,  uncle?" 

The  old  man  looked  up,  his  eyes  rolling  so  that  it 
was  some  seconds  before  he  fixed  them  upon  his  inter 
locutor,  when,  with  a  good  natured  grin  that  extended 
to  either  ear,  he  answered : 

"Laws  no,  but  I'll  gib  ye  one,  sah;  an '  I  have  got 
some  hoe  cake  an '  sweet  taters  heah  that  you  may 
hab,  for  de  Lawd  help  me  if  ever- 1  seed  a  crittah  look 
so  starved  like,  an '  wid  eyes  that  seem  as  if  washed 
wid  de  glory  of  angels." 

He  at  once  came  up  the  bank  with  the  eatables  and 
set  himself  to  broil  the  fish  while  Herbert  dispatched 
the  hoe  cake  and  potatoes.  Never  had  food  seemed 
so  delicious.  The  old  negro  seemed  very  watchful 
while  thus  engaged  and  to  Herbert's  inquiry  as  to 
what  he  feared  replied  : 

"Dey's  looking  for  ye,  honey,  with  dogs,  all  ober 
the  country  an'  thru  de  woods,  three  poor  fellahs  dey 
tuk  this  morning,  an '  one  with  a  sore  foot,  went  past 
here  down  the  river  this  time  yesterday.  I  give  him 
breakfast  an '  he  tole  me  to  look  for  ye,  an '  I  did  all 
day,  wraslin '  and  pray  in  '  for  ye,  an'  'pears  like  some 


302  MAPLE   KANGE. 

spirit  tuk  them  '  titions  up  to  the  New  Jerusalem,  for 
here  ye  are,  eatin '  what  I  provided  for  yer,  ye  pore 
persecuted  friend  of  the  colored  race.  Ye  would 
break  the  yoke  an '  let  the  opprest  go  free,  an '  for 
that  reason  the  oppressors  hunt  and  will  harm  ye  if 
they  find  ye.  The  retribution  that  is  waitin  '  '  em 
shall  come  as  a  whirlwind,  an '  they  shall  not  see  the 
glory  of  God  when  he  shall  come  in  pillars  of  fire  for 
his  own." 

He  was  not  a  common  specimen  of  the  negro  race 
and  to  Herbert  became  at  once  a  psychological  study. 
Some  of  his  scriptural  applications  were  very  sensi 
ble  and  others  showed  that  in  his  head  sound  was 
made  sometimes  to  answer  all  the  purposes  of  sense. 
He  borrowed  without  stint  from  the  Bible,  uttering 
the  texts  with  the  peculiarity  of  intonation  character 
istic  of  the  religiously  inclined  of  his  race. 

He  remained  some  time  with  Herbert,  giving  ut 
terance  at  intervals  to  strange  expressions,  which 
seemed  a  part  of  a  continuous  prayer,  either  for  the 
weal  of  the  oppressed  or  the  woe  of  the  oppressor. 

When  it  was  dark,  he  rose  from  the  ground  and 
shouldering  the  poke  (bag)  that  contained  the  remnants 
of  the  feast,  said  : 

' '  Come !  follow  me  closely,  if  I  drop  on  the  ground 
as  if  dead,  drop  you  also,  but  do  n't  speak  or  ask  me 
why." 

They  went  on  rapidly  as  Herbert's  condition  would 
allow,  and  made  good  use  of  the  darkness.  Sev 
eral  miles  had  been  made,  when  suddenly  the  deep 
hoarse  baying  of  near  hounds  startled  them  and  in 
creased  their  gait.  They  ran  across  a  cornfield  to  a 


TWO  RECOGNITIONS.  303 

wood,  on  the  right,  and  plunging  into  a  morass  strug 
gled  through  it  to  a  sluggish  stream  where  they  set 
tled  up  to  their  ears  in  water.  Some  time  they  lay, 
trembling  at  the  barking  and  growling  of  dogs,  foiled 
in  their  pursuit  by  losing  their  trail  at  the  brink  of 
this  morass.  Mingled  with  the  furious  barking  were 
curses  and  brutal  oaths,  which,  Herbert  noticed  with 
satisfaction,  grew  fainter  and  fainter  as  the  baffled 
pursuers  retired.  They  crawled  out  of  the  stream 
onto  the  opposite  bank  and  went  on,  more  fearlessly, 
as  the  chase  was  now  evidently  miles  away  though  its 
echoes  even  then  sounded  all  too  real.  From  the 
quaint  rambling  speech  of  the  negro,  when  not  in  his 
absent  prophetic  moods,  Herbert  learned  the  most 
feasible  route  to  Fredericksburg — where  the  Federal 
army  lay. 

'  'I 's  scratched  de  grabble  on  dat  are  route  two 
times,  wid  de  dogs  arter  me,  honey,  I  orter  know 
de  safe  way,  an'  de  safest  way  ain't  de  plainest, 
shore. " 

'"Tis  'a  narrow  way,  and  few  there  be  that  find 
it,"  suggested  Herbert,  adding,  "Twice  you  have 
been  a  fugitive  by  this  route  ?" 

"Yes,  sah  !  an'  I 's  been  wuth  a  heap  more  to 
myself  than  to  massa,  ever  since ;  for,  tho'  I  's 
worked  hard  nuf,  I 's  tole  more  niggahs  how  to  git  off 
than  he  got  back  in  the  two  t'ousan'  dollahs  he  swoah 
I  was  wuth,  at  Fredericksburg." 

"  And  did  none  others  return  to  him?  "  said  Her 
bert. 

"Yes,  oh,  yes!"  he  said,  and  then  took  up  the 
tone  of  prophesy,  crying:  "Oh,  yes;  dat  was  my 


304:  MAPLE   RANGE. 

own  chile,  my  Lizzie.  '  Behold  the  stone  doth  cry  out 
from  the  wall,  and  the  timber  doth  answer  it.'  Why 
dost  thou  delay,  O  thou  avenger  of  the  weak  ?  Did 
she  not  lie  three  days  speechless  upon  my  breast  in 
this  jungle,  after  that  awful  scourging,  and  did  I  not 
make  her  grave  in  the  wilderness  ? " 

They  traveled  on  till  near  morning — sometimes  in 
the  water,  the  more  effectually  to  elude  pursuit,  and 
as  often  on  the  spongy,  springy  banks  where  footing, 
always  insecure,  was  much  more  so  in  the  darkness. 

As  the  day  began  to  glimmer  through  the  fringy 
needles  of  the  pines,  at  the  risk  of  discovery,  they 
made  a  fire  and  cooked  a  chicken  the  negro  had  cap 
tured  in  a  midnight  raid  upon  the  negro  quarters  of  a 
plantation  they  had  passed  in  the  night.  After  eating 
they  settled  down  into  the  grass,  out  of  sight,  and  fell 
asleep.  They  were  upon  a  little  island,  not  more  than 
ten  feet  square,  of  solid  ground,  and  which  seemed, 
from  the  high  land,  eighty  rods  distant,  to  be  a  part  and 
parcel  of  the  swamp  that  surrounded  it — a  perfect  jun 
gle  of  cat  briar  and  tangled  vine.  Its  existence,  except  in 
dire  extremity  like  this  of  Herbert's,  would  never  be 
ascertained  by  a  white  man.  But  the  negroes  of  the 
South  became  familiar  with  such  spots,  to  their  great 
advantage  over  their  pursuers  when  attempting  to 
realize  their  liberty  by  flight  North.  'T  was  afternoon 
when  Herbert  awoke.  His  companion  was  up  before 
him,  preparing  dinner,  which  he  had  evidently  pro 
cured  in  some  clandestine  manner  not  entirely  without 
human  assistance.  He  had  a  nice  loaf  of  white  bread 
and  some  butter,  and  he  was  busy  broiling  a  chicken 
over  the  coals.  He  did  not  notice  at  first  that  Herbert 


TWO    RECOGNITIONS.  305 

was  awake,  as  he  was  stooping  at  his  task.  When  he 
raised  he  began  repeating  with  monotonous  enuncia 
tion:  "Who  is  this  that  cometh  from  Edom  with 
dyed  garment  from  Basrah  ?  "  then  in  a  louder  tone:  "I 
that  speak  in  righteousness,  mighty  to  save,  I  will 
tread  in  my  anger  and  trample  them  in  my  fury,  and 
their  blood  shall  be  sprinkled  on  my  garments." 

These  quotations  were  made  in  clear,  good  English, 
and  yet  when  Herbert,  who  had  risen,  came  forward 
to  the  fire,  he  was  addressed  in  the  most  simple  negro 
dialect : 

"Ye  see,  I's  cum  to  luck  dis  mornin',  sah !  De 
Lo'd  jest  opened  my  eyes,  an'  I  seed  dis  loaf  and  dis 
pot  o1  steamin'  coffee  settin'  on  t'  other  bank  over  dar, 
an'  I  could  n't  'fend  de  Lo'd  no  how ;  so  I  jes'  went 
over  an'  tuck  'em — yes,  sah  !  One  ting  is  bery  certain: 
If  de  Lo'd  sent  'em,  de  black  folks  brought  'em  dar. 
But  de  black  critters  will — some  of  'em — provide  for 
them  that  is  hunted  an'  starvin'  an'  is  ready  to  perish. 
Was  n't  de  ravens  dat  fed  'Lijah  an'  brought  him  de 
hoe-cake  in  de  wilde'ness,  black?  Yah,  yah  ;  jest  as 
black  as  Massa  Wheelock's  Grundy  that  brought  dis 
supper  down  to  the  bank  while  I  was  singin',  "  saying 
which,  he  sang  again  in  his  rich  deep  voice  : 

"  '  Our  harps  that,  when  with  joy  we  sang, 
Were  wont  their  tuneful  parts  to  bear, 
With  silent  strings,  neglected,  hang 
On  willow  boughs  in  mute  despair.' 

"Dat,  sah,  is  de  'spression  of  dem  dat  hide  from 
de   terrors   of  de  yoke.     It  means   dat   some  poor, 
bruised  reed  is  hungry  and  faint ;  dat  some  Hagar 
U          13* 


306  MAPLE   RANGE. 

sits  in  despair  in  de  wilds,  or  some  broder  is  in  strem- 
ity.  Ye  can  go  into  de  wust  swamp  in  all  dis  swampy 
land,  sah,  an'  sing  dat  ar  little  ditto,  an'  de  plantation 
hands  will  pack  der  bandannas  wid  hominy  an'  chick 
en,  an'  when  night  comes  dey  will  flock  'roun'  ye  like 
blackbirds  in  a  co'n-field.  Can  ye  sing  ? " 

"  Yes  ;  but  not  like  you,"  was  the  reply. 

"Well,  now,  ole  Whiting  will  Tarn  ye  some  of 
his  songs  that  he  sings  as  he  wades  the  Jordan,  'ca'se 
it's  borne  in  on  my  mind  that  ye  will  be  in  some 
powerful  straits  afore  ye  git  through,  an'  it  may  sarve 
ye  to  'member  this. " 

He  repeated  it  over,  line  by  line,  till  Herbert  had 
learned  it ;  then  he  joined  with  him  in  singing  it. 

It  began  to  get  dark  again,  and  the  negro  repeated 
his  instructions,  which,  when  followed,  were  a  perfect 
key  to  this  peculiar  route — infallible  as  an  engineer's 
map — and  now  they  prepared  to  separate.  Remnants 
of  the  supper  were  put  into  the  bag  where,  also,  an 
other  loaf  was  found,  and  swinging  it  over  his  shoul 
der  as  he  was  bid,  Herbert  wrung  the  hand  of  his 
sable  guide  and  friend.  Turning  away,  he  left  him 
standing  on  the  little  isle  in  the  cane-brake,  while 
he  plunged  into  and  struggled  slowly  through  the  mud. 
Now  and  then  the  rich  voice  reached  him  as,  in  wrapt 
thought,  Whiting  gave  utterance  to  snatches  of  the 
inspiring  poetry  of  those  men  of  old,  who  saw  visions 
and  dreamed  dreams. 

"  '  Amen  !  amen  !  Behold  we  are  in  readiness,  O 
Lord !  Thy  people  have  seen  the  sign  of  Thy  com 
ing.'  " 


TWO   RECOGNITIONS.  307 

"Amen!"  was  the  last  sound  Herbert  caught, 
vehemently  pronounced  by  that  overwrought  soul, 
absorbed  in  unceasing  calculations  of  human  abuses 
and  Almighty  justice. 

All  night  long  he  toiled  on,  feeling  more  lonely 
for  the  recent  companionship  ;  but  as  details  of  that 
journey  of  days  of  rests  and  nights  of  unremitting 
effort  would  occupy  too  much  space  here,  I  will  pass 
over  the  various  incidents  wherein  he  proved  the  use 
fulness  of  musical  signals,  and  was  fed  and  put  in 
safer  ways. 

Two  weeks  had  been  occupied  in  this  journey  ere 
the  heights  of  Fredericksburg  rose  upon  his  vision. 
It  was  just  as  the  whispering  trees  waved  their 
branches  in  salutation  of  the  early  dawn.  He  had 
with  great  difficulty  drawn  his  wet,  weary  legs  out 
of  the  river  along  whose  shallow  margin  he  had 
waded  some  hundred  yards.  Putting  forth  all  his 
remaining  strength,  he  climbed  up  a  large  oak  where 
he  saw  an  opening  large  enough  to  hold  and  hide  him 
from  view— a  very  necessary  thing,  as  the  whole 
country  was  swarming  with  rebel  soldiers. 

For  two  days  he  had  tasted  no  kind  of  food  except 
some  nourishing  roots  that  grew  upon  the  banks  of  the 
sluggish  stream  he  followed.  It  was  the  very  day  of 
the  Federal  troops  crossing  the  river  and  taking  pos 
session  of  the  city  of  Fredericksburg,  and  the  whole 
movement  he  witnessed  from  his  hungry  outlook  in 
the  tree.  Below  him  were  encamped  men  he  knew 
to  be  thirsting  for  Federal  blood. 

The  company  had  been  detailed  upon  some  duty, 


308  MAPLE   RANGE. 

and  left  their  camp  under  the  trees  for  many  hours 
that  day.  He  dropped  down  and  found  some  cold 
coffee  and  bread  which  sickened  rather  than  refreshed 
him;  he  had  grown  too  weak  to  digest  anything.  He 
climbed  again  to  his  lonely  eyrie  to  wait  with  impa 
tient  heart  the  favorable  chance  to  creep  under  the 
beloved  banner  that  flaunted  its  significant  hues  over 
the  rebel  city  so  near,  and  yet,  considering  the  desper 
ate  chances,  so  far. 

Involuntarily  he  borrowed  the  cadence  of  his  late 
colored  guide,  and  stretching  out  his  hands  toward  the 

O  O 

flag,  cried  pathetically : 

UO,  that  I  had  wings  like  a  dove,  I  would  fly  to 
thee,  my  beloved,  and  be  at  rest." 

His  excitement  was  so  intense  that  he  had  no  sense 
of  suffering,  during  the  interim  between  his  last  as 
cension  into  the  tree  and  the  hour  when  he  found  him 
self  unrecognized  among  his  own  comrades  on  the 

<r>  o 

battle  field.  He  thought  he  must  be  dying,  his  suffer 
ings  all  returning,  and  he  remembered  thinking  he 
must  speak  to  Capt.  Ellis,  come  what  might.  At  that 
point  his  memory  failed  him,  not  knowing  even  who 
saved  him  till,  in  the  description  the  surgeon  gave  him 
of  the  man  who  brought  him  to  the  hospital,  he  recog 
nized  his  old  friend,  Long  Dave  Persons. 

The  wintry  days  wore  on.  Alice  had  recovered 
from  her  illness,  and  to-morrow  with  her  father  would 
return  home.  A  long  drive  had  occupied  the  hours 
of  the  last  day  of  their  stay  at  Acquia  Creek.  About 
two  o'clock  they  drove  along  past  the  headquarters 
of  an  Ohio  regiment  and  were  attracted  by  the  pre 
liminary  ceremonies  of  a  military  execution. 


TWO   RECOGNITIONS.  309 

A  private  with  his  cap  drawn  down  over  his  face 
so  as  to  very  much  hide  his  features,  came  out  of  a 
tent,  attended  by  the  chaplain,  and  entered  an  ambu 
lance.  Behind  in  another  ambulance  was  a  coffin,  on 
every  side  guards  with  bristling  bayonets.  A  half  mile 
was  traversed,  and  then  the  soldier  left  the  ambulance 
his  arm  interlocked  with  the  arm  of  the  chaplain.  They 
walked  thus  to  the  designated  spot,  while  the  whole 
division  was  drawn  up  on  three  sides  of  a  hollow 
square,  the  prisoner,  chaplain  and  guard  occupying  the 
open  side,  where  a  grave  had  been  dug,  and  by  the 
grave  they  placed  the  coffin.  He  sat  down  upon  the 
coffin  while  fetters  were  placed  upon  his  feet,  and  his 
eyes  bandaged.  In  front  of  him  a  firing  party  was 
drawn  up  composed  of  two  from  each  regiment.  One 
face  in  that  party  is  particularly  familiar  to  us  ;  Gus 
Harkness  is  one  of  the  firing  party. 

A  division  General  stood  by  while  the  Provost 
Marshal  read  the  death  sentence,  and  shook  hands 
with  the  condemned.  A  prayer  was  offered  while  all 
heads  were  uncovered  solemnly,  yet  the  faces  of 
the  officers  and  soldiers  betrayed  no  evidence  of  emo 
tion  or  sorrow.  Evidently  the  wretched  man  who  was 
about  to  experience  the  extremity  of  military  disci 
pline,  had  no  personal  friends.  The  chaplain  shook 
hands  with  him,  speaking  some  last  words  of  spiritual 
consolation,  and  then  stepping  away,  the  prisoner 
stood  alone.  The  word  of  command  was  given,  one 
volley  and  he  fell  upon  his  coffin  dead.  He  was  lifted 
up  and  placed  within  it.  The  troops  all  filed  by  to 
look  upon  his  face.  Alice  and  her  father  felt  an  irre- 


310  MAPLE  EANGE. 

pressible  desire  to  look  upon  him  also.  They  left 
their  carriage  and  fell  in  behind  the  soldiers  as  they 
marched  past  the  dishonored  dead. 

One  look,  and  the  shivering  girl  clung  tightly  to 
the  arm  of  her  father  as  he  led  her  quickly  away  from 
the  mortal  remains  of  George  Langmere. 


CHECKMATED.  311 


CHAPTER    XVI. 

CHECKMATED. 

~TTT"E  left  'Lizbeth  Harkness  and  George  Langmere 
V  V  on  the  lofty  precipitous  bank  of  a  river,  one 
Summer  night,  months  ago,  the  first  impressed  with  the 
Arcadian  beauty  of  the  scene  spread  out  before  and 
below  them.  The  other  more  particularly  impressed 
with  the  apparent  difficulties  of  their  descent,  turned 
to  their  guides  and  inquired  (rather  sharply  for  a  cap 
tive  gentleman): 

"  How  in  the  name  of  your  dead  sachems  are  we 
going  to  get  off  ?" 

"Why,  jump,"  said  'Lizbeth,  recovering  her  spirits 
in  the  excitement  of  a  novel  situation,  "and  light  up 
on  that  inviting  carpet  of  green,  or  more  delightful 
still,  upon  the  sparkling  waters  below  us." 

The  Indians  preceding  them,  followed  a  circuitous 
route  down  to  a  ford.  It  was  twilight  before  they  en 
tered  the  town  and  drove  to  the  most  respectable 
structure,  a  white  birch  bark  wigwam  of  circular 
form  and  very  comfortable  dimensions.  Judging 
from  olfactory  evidence,  Langmere's  whisky  had 
already  found  its  home  there.  A  bright  fire  burned 
upon  the  hard  beaten  ground,  in  the  center,  the  smoke 
seeking  an  outlet  through  an  opening  on  the  top. 
The  game  upon  the  green  was  suspended  and  the 


312  MAPLE    RANGE. 

players  were  gathered  in  knots  along  the  bank  and 
near  the  door  where  the  travelers  stopped,  an  idle, 
listless,  uncouth  set  of  young  loafers,  behind  whose 
apparently  imperturbable  indifference  and  stoicism 
were  burning  fires  of  curiosity.  They  had  no  appear 
ance  of  seeing  the  newcomers,  and  the  staring  loung 
ers  about  a  country  church  door  might  have  taken 
profitable  lessons  of  them.  Their  method  of  taking 
observations  was  so  unobtrusive  and  inoffensive  that 
the  chances  would  seem  favorable  to  maintaining  an 
incognito — a  grand  mistake.  Every  feature,  every 
article  of  dress,  every  peculiarity  of  gait  or  gesture 
were  as  clearly  daguerreotyped  upon  those  young 
savage  minds  as  are  the  delineations  of  the  masters 
upon  the  speaking  canvas.  Twenty  years  thereafter, 
if  'Lizbeth  or  Langmere  were  to  meet  one  or  all  of 
them,  they  would  be  recognized  instantaneously. 

Langmere  sprang   from  the   buggy  and  assisted 
'Lizbeth  to  get  out.     They  were  within  half  a  dozen 
paces  of  the  door  and   together  walked   toward   it. 
Beside  it  Langmere,  with  considerable  extravagance 
of  manner,  bowed  too  graciously  to  suit  the  grave 
mood  'Lizbeth  happened  to  be  in,  at  the  same  time 
stepping  to  one  side  to  allow  her  to  precede  him. 
This  was  only  natural  gallantry,  but  she  was  a  back 
woods  girl,  with  few  ideas  of  the  fine  points  of  eti 
quette,  and  she  felt  a  sudden  suspicion  of  this  move 
ment,  accompanied,  as  it  was,  by  his  whispered, 
"Enter  thy  palace,  my  beautiful  queen." 
She   had   crossed   the   threshold,    but    his   word 
struck  her  ear  and  roused  the  thought,  "  He  designs 
this  as  my  infamous  abode."    That  thought  awakened 


CHECKMATED.  313 

a  madness  that  was  lurking  in  her  soul.     Turning 

"  O 

round  she  would  have  darted  out,  but  he  had  antici 
pated  this  and  swiftly  closed  the  door  behind  her. 
With  almost  superhuman  strength  she  pushed  him 
away  and  tried  to  open  the  door,  but  it  was  fastened 
already  from  without  as  well  as  within. 

' '  What  does  this  mean  ?  "  she  asked  passionately. 
"Why  am  I  thus  imprisoned  and  why  are  you  here 
with  me  ?  Speak,  for  it  is  your  plan,  and  the  Indians 
are  only  your  infamous  tools." 

''Yes,"  he  answered,  "it  is  my  plan.  What  I 
value  I  will  keep,  and  you  know  I  love  you. " 

' l  You  are  a  perfidious  fool  to  make  such  a  state 
ment  to  a  married  woman,"  again  pushing  him  back 
from  her. 

"Thanks,  you  are  quite  too  complimentary,  espe 
cially  as  it  is  my  pleasure  to  consider  that  married 
woman  my  wife.  I  suppose  such  compliments  are 
frequently  exchanged  by  married  folks,  and  as  I  am 
an  apt  imitator  it  will  not  be  long  before  I  shall  be  an 
adept  in  those  little  amenities  that  tend  so  much  to 
connubial  felicity. " 

"  Let  me  go  !  I  will  not  stay  here  another  mo 
ment.  We  are  out  of  the  woods  now,  and  I  answer 
your  question  as  to  our  friendship,  George  Langmere, 
a  thousand  times  no  !  "  she  cried. 

"  It  is  to  your  advantage  to  yield  gracefully  to  my 
ilicitations, "  he  said,  "while  they  still  are  the  solici- 
tions  of  love." 

:    "No,   no!"  she   shrieked,    "I  shall  never  taste 
O'uilty  love,     I  have  been  vain,  have  loved  admiration, 
and  oh,  how  I  am  atoning  for  it,  but  I  am  not  the 
14 


314:  MAPLE   EANGE. 

dreadful  thing,  the  impure  creature,  that  will  accept 
such  unholy  love." 

"  I  have  money,  'Lizbeth,  and  will  have  more." 

"Pile  it  to  the  skies  and  my  indignation  at  your 
offer  shall  set  it  on  fire,"  she  said. 

"  Your  caprices  shall  govern  me,  your  will  shall 
be  my  law." 

He  said  it  almost  humbly,  as  if  he  really  meant  it, 
but  she  answered  : 

"Prove  it,  then,  if  you  are  sincere,  by  setting  me 
at  liberty.  That  is  my  present  wish." 

"And  will  you  love  me,  come  voluntarily  to 
me?" 

"No,  you  loathsome  fool,  I  will  put  the  widest 
space  between  us,  and  leave  nothing  but  hate  behind. " 

"Now,  my  little  spitfire,  just  cool  down  a  minute, 
while  I  tell  you  what." 

"  I  won't  hear  you.  Open  this  door.  I  hate  you  ; 
you  are  a  hypocrite  and  a  villain." 

"But  you  shall  hear  me,  you  shall  accede  to  my 
wishes,  sweetly  if  you  will,  and  so  much  the  better ; 
but  listen,  if  by  coercion,  steeped  in  very  shame  you 
shall  grovel  at  my  feet  and  I  shall  spurn  you,  as  you 
now  spurn  my  oifered  love,"  he  said,  pausing  a  little, 
and  then  throwing  all  the  meaning  possible  into  his 
deep  voice.  "Whether  through  love  or  through 
force,  't  is  for  you  to  choose,  but  I  swear  it  by  the 
God  you  pretend  to  worship,  you  shall  be  mine. " 

"Never,  as  that  same  being  rules  on  high,  never!" 
she  cried  in  a  voice  irrecognizable  as  that  of  'Lizbeth 
Harkness,  so  harsh  and  unnatural  had  it  become,  as 


CHECKMATED.  315 

she  realized  now  to  the  full  extent  the  horror  of  her 
situation. 

Again  she  tried  the  fastenings  of  the  door,  but 
+hey  were  too  much  for  her  strength,  though  that 
strength  now  was  wonderful.  He  stood  with  folded 
arms  and  a  cold,  heartless  smile,  watching  her  efforts 
— a  smile  that  would  never,  no  never,  raise  the  signal 
of  relenting,  though  she  might  stamp  and  shriek  all 
night,  and  call  for  the  help  that  never  would  come. 
Tired  at  last  of  remonstrance  and  entreaty,  tired  of 
calling  in  vain  for  help,  and  finding  no  way  of  escape, 
she  sank  down  at  last  in  a  heap,  hopeless,  yet  still 
determined,  near  the  fire.  Her  attitude  of  utter 
dejection  did  not  touch  his  flinty  heart,  yet  he  spoke 
not  ungently: 

"Here  are  the  materials  for  our  wedding  supper. 
Come,  I  remember  you  can  cook  nicely.  See  now, 
how  I  defer  to  you,  though  you  are  so  cross  to  me. 
Shall  I  put  on  the  tea  kettle,  my  dear  Mrs.  Lang- 
mere  ? " 

A  startling  whoop  from  without,  from  a  hundred 
hoarse  throats,  answered  a  similar  whoop  in  the 
forest,  the  exchange  of  salutations  with  the  returning 
band  of  murderous  Indians,  fresh  from  scenes  of  car 
nage. 

Langmere  hurried  to  the  door,  but  'Lizbeth  was 
there  too  and,  determined  to  get  out,  clung  to  him  des 
perately.  At  last  finding  egress  impossible  without 
her,  he  caught  her  up  and  flung  her  on  the  bed,  fas 
tening  her  hands  and  then  her  feet  with  strong  cords; 

~ 

while  her  screams  rose  high  and  higher.       Then   he 
left  her  to  ascertain  the  cause  of  a  commotion  which 


316  MAPLE   RANGE. 

momentarily  increased  without,  till  Bedlam  seemed 
reproduced  in  that  Indian  village.  A  hurried  council 
succeeded  the  warriors'  arrival,  and  as  flight  seemed 
imperative  to  the  safety  of  the  tribe,  flight  was  decid 
ed  upon  and  preparations  made  at  once  so  that  before 
midnight  they  were  in  marching  trim.  Langmere 
drove  to  the  door  of  the  hut  in  his  buggy  for  'Lizbeth, 
and  entering  found  her  of  course  just  as  he  had  left 
her.  He  told  her  of  the  enforced  exodus,  which  com 
pelled  a  postponement  of  their  happiness  (?).  She 
cried  piteously, 

"O,  leave  me  here,  even  alone  in  this  wilderness. 
Its  terrors  are  as  nothing  compared  to  my  abhorrence 
of  the  relation  you  propose.  I  never  can  be  anything 
to  you ;  I  never  will ! " 

"  Leave  you  here,  ha,  ha !  that 's  a  good  one.  No, 
ma'am,  you  have  a  destiny  to  fulfil.  I  have  been 
casting  our  horoscope,  and  separation  nowhere  ap 
pears.  You  must  go  with  me ! " 

"  Very  well,  sir !  When  the  destiny  you  speak 
of  is  fulfilled,  you  will  do  well  to  remember  you  in 
sisted  upon  my  going. " 

"Why,  do  you  imagine  I  intend  to  leave  pussy 
the  use  of  her  claws?  O,  no, "he  said  laughingly,  re 
leasing  her  hands  but  not  her  feet. 

The  food  he  then  offered  her  she  ate  through  mo 
tives  of  self-preservation,  thinking  she  must  keep 
up  her  strength  to  resist  this  villain.  He  lifted  her  in 
to  the  buggy  and  took  his  seat  beside  her,  waiting  to 
witness  the  novel  process  of  packing  his  wares  for 
transportation.  Indian  emigrants  have  a  very  pecu 
liar  method  of  disposing  of  heavy  articles  in  their 


CHECKMATED.  317" 

removals.  Two  long  poles  (in  this  case)  or  shafts 
were  fastened  on  either  side  of  a  pony  to  the  neck- 
yoke,  higher  however  than  shafts  of  a  buggy.  The 
long  supple  ends  are  left  to  drag  along  on  the  ground 
behind.  Just  behind  the  pony  the  load  is  bound 
tightly  to  the  shafts  and  seems  to  be  borne  with  all 
confidence  as  to  result.  It  was  a  curious  caravan  that 
marched  away  that  night,  the  central  body  consisting 
of  about  fifty  ponies  laden  with  the  paraphernalia  of 
Indian  travel  and  Langmere's  stock  of  merchandise. 
Some  of  the  ponies  were  very  small  and  looked  funny 
enough  with  the  pole  ends  sticking  above  their  heads, 
and  the  load  jogging  along  after  them.  "Women  with 
papooses  on  their  shoulders,  and  little  nude  wretches 
beside  them  clinging  to  their  skirts,  trotted  along. 
Girls  with  loads  that  were  too  heavy  for  their  slight 
forms  came  chattering  along,  the  difficulty  of  weight 
obviated  by  a  broad  strap  that  was  connected  with  the 
load  and  brought  up  across  the  forehead;  so  that 
without  knowing  a  letter  of  the  alphabet,  those  girls 
would  do  more  head  work  than  many  a  conceited  Miss 
who  boasted  of  having  mastered  the  ''three  Rs." 
Boys  walked  along  erect  and  proud,  without  a  burden 
save  their  bow  and  arrows  slung  at  their  side.  Hun 
gry  dogs  prowled  along  at  their  heels,  while  some  of 
them  led  or  jerked  a  lazy  pony  along. 

There  are  flanking  parties  of  the  line  of  march  on 
either  side  of  the  loaded  horses.  How  the  squaws 
move  on  !  They  whoop  and  struggle  through  the 
bushes,  laughing,  chattering,  scolding  children  and 
horses.  Behind  these  are  marched  the  prisoners  and 
behind  them  again  are  armed  warriors  to  protect  and 


318  MAPLE    RANGE. 

defend  if  surprised  and  overtaken.  Strange  pano 
rama  !  Of  prisoners  there  are  three  only  (by  which 
it  is  safe  to  conclude  that  this  party  of  Sioux  warriors 
saved  few  lives — theirs  were  impatient  hatchets  that 
could  not  brook  delay),  a  man,  his  wife  and  child, 
strangers  to  Langmere  and  'Lizbeth,  who  rode  along 
just  before  them. 

The  second  day  of  the  march  they  became  foot 
sore  and  weary  ;  the  man  begged  that  his  wife  might 
be  allowed  to  ride,  and  for  an  answer  was  shot 
through  the  heart,  the  ball  breaking  the  arm  of  the 
child  he  carried.  Langmere  stopped  his  horse, 
demanding  the  reason  for  the  shooting. 

"Ugh!  He's  a  fool  with  a  squaw's  tongue,  only 
fit  to  kick,"  said  the  Indian  as  he  spurned  the  body 
with  his  foot  contemptuously. 

The  poor  distracted  woman  had  caught  up  the  cry 
ing  child  and  was  trying  to  still  its  moans  at  her 
breast,  when  a  repulsive-looking  squaw  turned  back, 
snatched  the  baby,  and  raising  it  with  both  hands 
above  her  head  dashed  it  upon  the  hard  ground,  still 
ing  its  cries  forever.  The-  tearless  mother  gathered 
the  form  of  her  dead,,  crushed  baby  again  to  her  heart 
and  said : 

"Only  me  to  suffer  now  and  not  for  long." 

Langmere  pointing  to  the  squaw  with  his  whip 
said : 

" 'Lizbeth,  such  are  the  women,"  then  pointing  to 
the  chief,  "such  are  the  men — 

"Devils  you  mean,"  she  interrupted. 

"Yes,  devils  if  you  will,  whose  aid  I  have  secured 
to  bring  you  to  terms.  Take  warning  and  be  wise." 


CHECKMATED.  319 

She  was  silent.  Indeed  her  conversation  now  was 
almost  entirely  confined  to  monosyllables.  She  desir 
ed  to  give  her  seat  to  the  poor  creature  thus  violently 
bereaved,  but  she  knew  it  was  useless  to  offer  such  a 
petition,  and  she  had  made  up  her  mind  that  she  never 
would  open  her  lips  to  ask  a  favor  of  him. 

The  next  day  when  they  broke  camp  and  resumed 
the  march,  no  prisoners  toiled  along  with  weary  feet. 
The  night  before,  'Lizbeth  had  held  the  cold  hand  of 
a  woman  who,  with  dying  breath,  said  that  it 
would  "soon  be  over  and  the  anguish  of  the  earth 
forgotten  in  the  glory  of  the  skies." 

After  thirteen  days'  flight  they  finally  encamped 
in  a  locality  as  picturesque  as  the  one  they  had  left, 
a  locality  moreover  that  with  beauty  combined  more 
natural  advantages. 

The  final  encampment  took  place  about  noon,  and 
the  afternoon  was  spent  in  getting  comfortably 
settled. 

Habitations  were  erected  in  the  most  primitive 
style  of  architecture,  and  the  business  part  of  the 
community  (that  is  the  squaws)  worked  industriously 
till  dark.  The  last  task  was  that  of  eating  their 
supper.  The  great  camp  kettles  steamed  with  their 
mysterious  compounds,  and  the  squaws  that  stirred 
them  with  their  long  paddles,  looked  in  the  glare  of 
the  fire,  not  unlike  the  legendary  witches  stirring  their 
famous  broth. 

'Lizbeth  was  served  with  broiled  venison  and 
mush,  but  she  could  not  bring  herself  in  any  instance 
to  taste  of  the  soups,  which  were  eaten  from  the 


320  MAPLE    RANGE. 

kettle;  a  whole  family  gathering  round  and  dipping 
in  their  wooden  spoons. 

There  had  been  great  preparations  on  the  green 
that  afternoon.  A  council  house  had  been  erected,  and 
now  a  bonfire  blazed  high  in  front  of  it  to  light  up  the 
ceremonies  of  exultation  over  the  success  of  the  late 
raid,  and  to  exhibit  its  trophies.  The  council  house 
(a  long,  low  tepee  of  poles,  covered  with  birch  bark), 
stood  upon  a  triangular  plat  of  green,  formed  by  the 
confluence  of  two  streams.  Before  the  council  house, 
a  ring  of  painted  braves  was  formed.  A  rude  drum 
made  of  raw  moose  hide,  was  beaten  by  an  old  white- 
headed  prophet;  while  a  boy  rattled  the  senseless  gus- 
tah-weh-sah,  a  gourd  filled  half  full  of  beans.  Fore 
most  of  the  ring  was  a  chief,  bearing  on  his  head  a 
waving  plume  of  deep  vermilion  dye;  a  snake  of  the 
same  color  was  tattooed  upon  his  breast.  Every  spot 
upon  his  huge  form,  naked  to  the  girdle,  bore  hiero 
glyphics  telling  of  his  battle-deeds.  Behind  him 
were  ranged  warriors  in  all  the  pomp  of  plume  and 
ochre,  porcupine  quill  and  beads.  The  first  chief, 
when  all  were  in  position,  waved  his  hatchet  and 
brought  it  circling  round  his  head,  while  with  heavy 
stamp  he  opened  the  scalp  dance. 

Forward  all  with  rocking  feet,  and  heavy  zig-zag 
of  the  body,  while  from  every  throat  poured  a  wild, 
deep  guttural  strain,  weird  and  unearthly.  The 
wooded  hills  reverberating,  as  the  long  column  like  a 
writhing  serpent,  wound  around  and  around  the 
frame  in  the  center,  upon  which  hung  the  gory  scalps, 
evidence  of  their  prowess  in  the  late  massacre. 


CHECKMATED.  321 

This  is  the  translation  of  their  song,  or  part  of  it : 

Ho-ah !  dance  again  the  dance, 
Let  our  knives  and  hatchets  glance. 
Loud  and  louder  peals  the  strain; 
Lo !  the  pale  face  mourns  the  slain. 

Great  spirit  unto  thee. 

Swells  the  song  of  victory. 

Scarce  a  mark  our  war-path  made, 
Gliding  from  beneath  the  shade ; 
Near  and  nearer  still  we  creep, 
Lo !  the  pale  face  is  asleep. 
Great  spirit,  etc. 

Whoop !  and  down  the  doors  we  crash, 
Then  on  the  pale  faces  dash ; 
Our  bloody  hatchets  fly. 
See!  they  pray,  they  groan,  they  die! 
Great  spirit,  etc. 

They  lie  like  the  leaves  around, 
Thickly  cover  they  the  ground. 
See!  their  heads  are  lowly  now, 
And  our  feet  are  on  their  brow. 

Whoop!  Whoop! 

Great  spirit  unto  thee, 

Swells  the  song  of  victory. 

A  very  efficient  adjunct  to  this  ceremony  was 
Langmere's  liquor  stand.  A  mark  of  civilization, 
recognized  with  enthusiastic  patronage,  which  in 
spired  hope  in  the  owner's  breast,  for  the  success  of 
his  commercial  venture  among  these  sworn  enemies 
of  his  race.  He  sat  there  without  a  twinge  of  con 
science,  pouring  out  drink  after  drink,  the  liquid  that 
he  knew  would  intensify  the  flame  of  animosity  ; 
setting  an  example  by  freely  imbibing  himself.  To 
V 


322  MAPLE   KANGE. 

make  the  "  sixpence  nimble,"  Langmere  was  willing 
to  sufier  any  amount  of  inconvenience.  He  drank 
often  and  deeply,  attracting  attention  to  the  fact  by 
holding  up  the  empty  glass  and  giving  utterance  to  a 
prolonged  "whoop!" 

Night  had  dwindled  to  the  "wee  sma'  hours" 
before  the  cheap  whisky  had  done  its  work,  and  the 
painted  revelers  had  taken  to  grassy  couches,  and  all 
was  still. 

'Lizbeth,  who  had  refused  to  witness  this  revolt 
ing  ceremony,  had  been  left  in  the  care  of  a  young 
squaw,  in  a  wigwam  covered  with  blankets,  hastily 
constructed,  but  made  more  than  ordinarily  comfort 
able  by  an  apology  for  a  bed,  composed  of  straw  laid 
upon  bark  matting  and  covered  with  blankets,  all 
supported  by  a  rude  tamarack  bedstead.  Upon  this 
bed,  across  the  foot  of  which  her  drowsy  attendant 
had  fallen  asleep,  'Lizbeth  half  sat,  half  reclined, 
her  mind  in  no  enviable  state,  for  she  was  tied 
securely,  hands  and  feet,  thus  making  escape  impos 
sible.  She  had  requested  the  squaw  to  pin  back  one 
of  the  blankets  forming  the  side  of  the  house,  so 
that  she  could  look  out  into  the  moonlight  in  a  direc 
tion  opposite  to  that  whence  the  yells  and  whoops 
proceeded.  Langmere  had  visited  her  several  times 
the  forepart  of  the  night,  each  time  saying  with  a 
meaning  leer  : 

"Shortly  I  will  come  to  remain  with  you,  so  be 
patient." 

Soon  after  his  last  visit,  she  was  startled  by  a 
shadow  across  her  low  doorway,  and  filled  with 


CHECKMATED.  323 

wonder,  when  a  tall  white  man  entered,  and,  seating 
himself  on  a  keg  of  rum,  said: 

"I  am  addressing  'Lizbeth  Harkness,  of  Clip- 
nockimi  Hollow." 

"Yes  ;  you  are  a  stranger  to  me  ;  but,  oh,  you 
have  come  to  save  me  from  a  villain  !  " 

"Do  n't  flatter  yourself  !  Your  husband  did  not 
so  deliver  me  !  I  have  sworn  to  hate  all  that  he  loves." 

"  But  he  does  not  love  me  ;  he  has  given  his  heart 
to  another  woman.  Oh,  help  me  if  you  can  ;  I  am  so 
wretched  !  "  she  cried. 

"Did  he  not  outrage  my  manhood  and  place  a 
lasting  shame  upon  my  name  ?  "  asked  the  stranger. 

' '  How  should  I  know,  who  never  heard  that 
name  ?  "  she  replied. 

"Is  it  possible  I  am  so  changed?  Well,  Gus 
Harkness  caused  the  change,  and  I  hate  him !  " 

"  Why  dwell  upon  the  faults  and  misdeeds  of  Gus? 
He  is  nothing  to  me  !  "  she  said,  almost  petulantly. 

"If  I  were  sure  of  that,  I  would  help  you  ;  but 
you  were  always  thought  insincere,"  he  replied. 

"  I  know  it — and  perhaps  deservedly  ;  but,  oh,  to 
witness  murder  and  fiendish  cruelty  !  to  be  bound  and 
menaced  with  worse  than  death,  is  more  than  I  can 
bear  !  "  she  said  vehemently. 

"'Bound'  do  you  say?  Are  not  your  relations 
to  Langmere  voluntary  ?  "  he  inquired. 

"Oh,  indeed,  they  are  not!  I  loathe  him  as  I 
loathe  a  reptile  !  Come  here  !  "  she  said  earnestly. 

He  came  to  her  side.  She  lifted  her  hands  so  that, 
he  could  see  the  cords  with  which  they  were  secured. 
With  his  knife  he  cut  them,  muttering  anathemas 


324  MAPLE   EANGE. 

against  Langmere.  She  looked  up  to  thank  him,  and 
exclaimed  with  astonishment, 

"  Charles  Center  !  " 

His  knife  had  just  released  her  feet,  when  they 
heard  heavy  steps  without.  Each  sprang,  for  conceal 
ment,  to  a  darker  corner  of  the  hut,  when  Langmere 
entered  and,  staggering  to  the  bed,  fell  upon  it,  draw 
ing  the  squaw  with  disgusting  familiarity  to  his 
breast,  saying  : 

"Come,  'Lizbeth — hie — give's  kiss,  an'  then  git- 
up-an-get-a-bite — hie — my  stomach  cries— cupboard — 
come,  get-me-bite,  then  come  snooze — hie." 

The  squaw  started  from  her  slumber,  struggled 
desperately— a  struggle  which  finally  resulted  in  his 
rolling  off  the  bed.  As  he  fell,  his  head  struck  one 
of  the  kegs  underneath,  producing  a  tremendous  con 
cussion,  which,  added  to  his  inebriated  condition, 
effectually  overcame  him.  He  became  silent,  and 
went  off  into  the  deep  slumber  of  intoxication.  'Liz 
beth  put  her  shawl  about  her  shoulders,  and  seated 
herself  with  Charles  Center,  on  a  log  near  the  wigwam, 
and  in  answer  to  his  questions  concerning  his  wife  and 
child,  told  him  of  the  former's  patient  suffering  and 
tranquil  death,  and  that  her  father  took  little  Carlos 
home  to  Chicago. 

u  I  am  glad  the  old  man  had  to  come  down  with  some 
of  his  cash.  He  might  have  helped  me  more  than  he 
did,  and  my  wife  knew  it,  but  she  would  not  ask  him. 
I  expected  she  would  write  to  him  and  get  money  to 
take  her  to  Chicago,  for  I  gave  her  a  hint  that  I  was 
going  to  stir  up  some  kind  of  a  mess  that  would  make 
the  neighborhood  pretty  hot,  and  I  did  too  ;  but  then 


CHECKMATED.  325 

I  thought  she  and  the  boy  were  gone.  I  did  not  want 
them  harmed  ;  but  I  tell  you  I  spread  it  on  about  old 
man  Maynard  to  the  Indians.  Like  my  wife,  they  all 
worshipped  him  ;  but  I  told  them  what  a  two-faced 
old  fellow  he  was,  and  in  less  than  two  weeks  after  I 
came  up  here,  they  had  alternately  scalped,  slashed 
and  burned  the  old  man  in  effigy — Mock-ane-sah,  his 
sworn  friend,  assisting  in  the  little  ceremonies." 

After  listening  to  much  about  himself  and  his 
grievances,  'Lizbeth  said  : 

"Charles  Center,  will  you  not  help  me  to  get 
away  ?  " 

"I  will,"  he  said,  and  they  then  proceeded  to  dis 
cuss  various  plans  of  escape  ;  but  none  seemed  imme 
diately  feasible,  and  they  finally  concluded  that  safety 
lay  only  in  her  waiting  and  feigning  to  regard  Lang- 
mere's  proposals  with  less  repugnance.  Not  assenting 
all  at  once — that  would  be  suspicious — but  yielding 
little  by  little,  to  throw  dust  in  his  eyes  while  their 
other  plans  ripened. 

"  How  can  I,  when  I  hate  him  so  ?  "  said  'Lizbeth, 
with  a  shudder. 

"I  hate  him  as  much  as  you  do!"  (It  was  a 
necessity  for  Center  to  hate  somebody.)  "I  was  a 
very  king  among  the  Indians  ;  had  become  identified 
with  them  in  many  ways.  I  sent  old  Jim  John  down 
to  buy  Langmere's  liquors  for  me,  and  behold  Lang- 
mere  comes  up  to  sell  them  himself  by  the  drinks. 
He  has  supplanted  me,  but  his  reign  will  only  last 
while  the  drinks  last,  and  I  will  have  every  Indian 
under  my  thumb  again.  If  he  wants  to  sell  liquor, 


326  MAPLE   RANGE. 

let  him  go  amongst  white  folks  and  do  it,  or  hunt  up 
some  other  tribe  of  Indians.  This  is  my  field." 

"  He  will  never  go  among  the  whites  again,"  said 
'Lizbeth  ;  "at  least,  if  he  does,  he  knows  very  well 
he  will  get  shot." 

"What  for?" 

"Desertion  and  some  other  crime,  known  to  mil 
itary  law,  I  don't  exactly  know  what." 

"I'll  fix  him  then,"  said  Center,  with  a  smile 
that  looked  almost  like  genuine  happiness.  It  was 
daylight  when  they  parted — 'Lizbeth  seeking  out  the 
squaw  who  had  attended  her  the  previous  night,  and 
by  signs  and  gestures  seeking  to  establish  a  friendship 
with  her.  Together  they  joined  a  knot  of  squaws  on 
the  green.  She  was  naturally  something  of  an  actress, 
and  managed  by  significant  pantomime  to  converse 
with  them,  and  to  some  extent  be  sociable.  She  sought 
to  make  them  believe  she  had  great  regard  for  Lang- 
mere,  hoping  thus  to  satisfy  them  that  she  had  no 
designs  upon  any  of  their  lords  or  lovers.  She  asked 
for  breakfast,  and  forthwith  they  produced  a  wooden 
bowl  of  steaming  soup  and  a  piece  of  broiled  venison. 
As  the  morning  advanced,  the  feminine  side  of  life 
began  to  show  itself  in  the  village,  but  not  one  of 
"nature's  noblemen"  graced  the  circles  round  the 
breakfast  camp  kettles. 

When  Langmere  awoke  from  his  long  lethargy, 
he  found  a  good  meal  ready — biscuits,  baked  in  an  old- 
fashioned,  shallow  kettle,  a  broiled  pheasant  and  fried 
mush.  Among  his  stores  'Lizbeth  had  found  a  sack 
of  coffee,  and  she  had  prepared  some  in  a  camp  kettle. 
She  was  sitting  out  beside  the  fire  when  he  got  up, 


CHECKMATED.  327 

feeling  considerably  the  worse  for  his  dissipation.  He 
came  as  near  feeling  ashamed  of  himself  as  such  a 
man  could,  and  as  if  he  had  lost  ground  with  'Lizbeth. 
He  went  out  of  the  tent  at  the  opposite  side  from  the 
fire,  down  to  the  river,  and  bathed  his  head  and  face 
and  hands.  Beginning  to  feel  a  little  fresher,  his 
courage  revived,  and  with  something  of  his  usual 
bonhomie  he  came  back  and  sitting  down  by  the  side 
of  'Lizbeth,  said : 

"  I  was  drunk  then  ;  can  you  overlook  it? " 

' '  That  depends  upon  whether  you  behave  your 
self  as  well  when  sober." 

She  said  it  so  pleasantly  that  he  dropped  the  stick 
he  whittled  with  astonishment,  and  looking  at  her  as 
well  as  his  squinting  eyes  would  allow,  uttered  a 
long,  low  whistle.  She  laughed  and  said  : 

"You  do  owe  the  squaw  an  apology,  but  she'll 
wait.  Your  dinner  is  ready ;  you  went  to  bed  hun 
gry  last  night." 

"That's  so,  and  bumped  my  head  to  boot,"  he 
said,  rubbing  the  sore  spot. 

"  Yes,  that  concussion  broke  my  cords.  'Twas  aw 
ful;  your  head  must  be  a  regular  iron  clad. 

"Well,  come;  you  must  eat  too.  All  this  nice 
dinner  is  not  mine." 

"  Yours  !  I  am  only  a  servant,  and  servants  do  not 
eat  with  their  sovereigns  ;  but  I  want  to  make  a  bar 
gain  with  you.  Tell  me  you  positively  will  not  bind 
me  again." 

"And  you,  what  will  3^011  do ;  try  to  escape  ?  " 

"No,  no.  I  dare  not  do  that;  no,  but  I  will  be 
better  than  if  bound. " 


328  MAPLE  RANGE.  ' 

"And  be  my  wife?" 

"Possibly  in  time,"  she  said,  looking  over  his 
head. 

"How  long,  a  month?"  he  said,  peering  into  her 
face  earnestly. 

She  looked  away  from  him  and  said  nothing. 

"  Two  months  ? "  he  said  raising  his  hand  as  if  ad 
ministering  an  oath. 

"  Yes,  if  you  treat  me  respectfully,"  she  replied, 
looking  frankly  into  his  eyes. 

"I'll  do  that ;  give  me  your  hand."  He  extended 
his  own  in  which  she  laid  hers  with  all  seeming  confi 
dence.  He  raised  it  to  his  lips,  but  she  exclaimed : 

"No,  no;  during  these  two  months  all  such 
familiarity  is  tabooed.  I  will  keep  your  wigwam, 
cook  your  food,  and  be  your  friend,  but  you  shall  not 
touch  me,  you  shall  not  offer  to  kiss  me.  Can  I  de 
pend  upon  you  ? " 

"  Yes,  but  it's  darned  hard !" 

From  that  time  she  treated  him  with  marked  def 
erence,  often  putting  on  an  appearance  of  fear  that 
completely  disarmed  his  suspicions.  A  new  building 
was  made  in  which  were  two  rooms,  one  of  which  she 
occupied,  having  as  a  companion  the  young  squaw  al 
ready  referred  to.  To  Center  she  said  little,  telling 
Langmere  : 

"That  man  I  will  not  speak  to,  no  matter  how 
agreeable  he  may  be  to  you.  I  hate  him.  He  is 
only  attracted  here,  I  believe,  by  the  strong  odor  of 
your  liquor." 

"When  I  bring  up  another  stock  I  will  not  have 


CHECKMATED.  329 

it  in  the  house  we  live  in.  I  '11  have  it  placed  as  far 
away  as  you  wish  it,  darling." 

' '  Look  out,  sir  !  When  are  you  going  for  it  ? 
pretty  soon  ? 

"When  I  get  to  the  bottom  barrel  of  the  stock  on 
hand." 

"  And  will  you  bring  me  a  dress  suitable  to  be — 

"  Married  in  ?  "  he  interrupted. 

"  Well,  I  suppose  so,"  she  replied  with  feigned 
confusion,  which  fairly  transported  him,  so  genuine 
did  it  seem. 

"  I  '11  bring  you  a  dress,  and  two  or  three  of  them 
for  that  matter,  but  it  is  not  customary  among  these 
people  to  have  any  ceremony.  It  's  only 

"  You  love  me  and  I  love  you, 
Now  let  us  be  no  longer  two." 

"  Well,  ceremony  or  no  ceremony,  I  won't  be 
married  in  this  old  dress,"  she  said. 

"You  need  n't;  you  've  been  a  good  girl  and  shall 
have  a  new  one.  'Lizbeth,  I  want  to  kiss  you  the 
darndest. " 

"Well,  you  can't  while  I  wear  this  dress,  but  I 
promise  you  may  as  soon  as  I  get  another  one. " 

"  All  right,  but  you  shall  have  a  new  one  right  off? 
by  thunder  !  " 

The  emergency  seemed  to  warrant  this  deception 
of  'Lizbeth's,  and  justify  any  extraordinary  measure  to 
extricate  herself  from  her  present  situation,  even  to 
wasting  Langmere's  whisky  to  hasten  the  time  of 
"going  below  for  spirits."  She  procured  a  gimlet 
and  made  some  small  holes  in  the  lower  side  of  the 
14* 


330  MAPLE  EANGE. 

barrels,  which  greatly  assisted  the  leak  at  the  tap. 
The  sandy  floor  of  the  lodge  quickly  absorbed  the 
tiny  but  continuous  stream,  and  gave  out  liberally 
intoxicating  odors,  that  were  powerful  to  attract  the 
Indians  and  to  call  out  their  furs  and  greenbacks,  to 
the  great  satisfaction  of  Langmere,  who  continued  to 
bait  them  by  drinking  himself.  One  day,  six  weeks 
after  the  compact  with  'Lizbeth,  when  all  were  more 
convivial  than  usual,  a  storm  of  snow  drove  them  all 
to  cover.  Langmere's  spirits  rose  with  the  rest,  and 
his  glass  was  emptied  oftenest  if  possible.  Center 
dropped  in  and  called  for  a  drink,  a  thing  he  seldom 
did,  for  he  was  no  hypocrite  and  took  no  pains  to  hide 
his  hate  of  Langmere,  and  generally  kept  away  from 
him.  Langmere  poured  out  a  glass  and  handed  it  to 
him,  at  the  same  time  filling  his  own. 

"  Give  me  a  glass  from  the  bottle  you  take  yours 
from,"  said  Center. 

"  Mine  is  medicated.  Do  you  fear  poison  that  you 
ask  this  ? "  he  said  coolly,  setting  his  bottle  back  upon 
the  shelf  behind  him. 

"  Never  mind  what  I  fear.  I  insist  upon  a  glass 
from  that  bottle." 

' '  And  I  say  you  can't  have  it.  I  run  this  institu 
tion  myself.  A  nice  time  I  should  have  if  I  was  to 
humor  the  whims  of  every  old  swill-guzzler  that 
comes  in  for  his  es-coo-ta-wah-bo  (whisky)." 

Apparently  satisfied,  Center  drained  his  glass, 
but  turning  to  the  Indians  present  he  addressed  them 
in  their  own  language,  of  which  Langmere  understood 
little,  save  the  common  expressions  in  daily  use. 
'Lizbeth,  who  knew  what  Center  was  about,  beckoned 


CHECKMATED.  331 

Langmere  to  her  and  detained  him  by  her  on  some 
trivial  pretext,  while  Center  proceeded  to  the  accom 
plishment  of  his  object. 

"Wiry  do  you  hate  most  white  men  ?  "  said  he. 

' '  Because  they  have  lying  tongues  and  black 
hearts,"  was  the  reply  of  old  Jim  John,  who  was  the 
spokesman  generally  in  that  division  of  the  tribe,  as 
Mock-ane-sah  was  in  another. 

"Do  you  believe  Langmere  would  deceive  you 
for  the  sake  of  inducing  you  to  patronize  him  ?  " 

"  No  !  "  was  repeated  by  a  dozen  throats  in  con 
cert. 

"Will  you  do  my  bidding  if  I  tell  you  how  to 
prove  him  ?  " 

"  Yes,"  was  the  reply,  but  with  less  energy  than 
the  first.  Their  faith  in  Langmere  was  entire,  and  it 
looked  treacherous  to  test  his  fidelity,  shown  in  so 
many  ways.  However,  they  all  crowded  close  to 
Center,  curious  to  know  what  he  would  say  next,  and 
he,  reaching  across  the  rude  counter,  took  down  the 
bottle,  tasted  its  contents  and  passed  it  to  Jim  John, 
who,  tasting  also,  passed  it  with  a  grimace  to  the 
others,  and  as  it  passed  round  that  circle,  Langmere 
went  down  commercially  in  their  estimation  as  rapidly 
as  the  contents  of  his  private  bottle,  which  contained 
— water. 

There  was  a  flash  of  indignation  in  the  looks  ex 
changed  by  that  half-drunken  crowd,  and  Center 
knew  it  boded  mischief  unless  controlled.  Lang- 
mere's  trade  in  that  village  was  over,  and  he  had 
timed  this  discovery  just  as  the  "  bottom  of  the  last 
barrel "  was  reached,  as  'Lizbeth's  watchful  eye  had 


332  MAPLE   KANGE. 

already  observed,  and  that  day's  conviviality  would 
finish  what  was  left  in  the  bottles.  The  savages  stood 
there  now,  just  as  ready  to  commit  murder,  if  that 
was  his  wish,  as  they  were  to  obey  him  in  anything. 
But  violence  was  not  his  game  just  yet. 

"Wait;  I  know  of  a  punishment  worse  than 
murder,  and  I  will  show  you  how  to  lead  him  to  it. 
For  the  present  he  must  not  know  that  you  consider 
this  deception  as  more  than  a  good  joke.  Let  us 
compel  him  to  go  to  the  river  and  there  drink  with 
each  one  of  us." 

Langmere,  entirely  ignorant  of  what  had  taken 
place,  answered  very  reluctantly  when  called  from 
his  attractive  conversation  in  the  next  room. 

"Come,"  said  Jim  John,  "it's  our  treat  now. 
We  know  the  drink  you  prefer." 

And  laughing,  they  led  him  down  to  the  river. 
Amidst  shouts  of  derision  that  reached  'Lizbeth's  ears, 
they  compelled  him  to  honor  each  treat  until  nature 
revolted.  Then  they  desisted  and  allowed  him  to 
return  to  his  shanty. 

He  was  able  to  confer  at  length  with  the  cautious, 
cunning  woman,  who  proposed  to  assist  him  in  his 
preparations  for  "going  below  for  spirits,"  where  he 
hoped  to  secure  a  supply  for  the  Winter's  use  from 
Indian  traders  who  always  hang  upon  the  frontier. 

Poor  fool !  He  cared  less  for  the  liquor,  for  the 
sale  was  getting  to  be  dry  business,  than  he  did  for  the 
dry  goods  that  were  declared  to  be  indispensable  to 
the  consummation  of  his  compact  with  the  woman  he 
had  come  to  love.  Yes,  he  was  really  in  love,  and  he 
resolved  to  risk  everj^thing  to  realize  the  affection  that 


CHECKMATED.  333 

he  believed  was  in  store  for  him,  when  the  womanish 
caprice  regarding  the  new  dress  was  gratified.  True, 
he  had  enjoyed  none  of  the  privileges  usually  accord 
ed  to  an  accepted  lover,  but  his  imagination  was  active, 
and  readily  construed  the  flashes  of  'Lizbcth's  dark 
eyes,  which  we  know  were  not  lighted  by  love's  fire, 
into  rapturous  gleams  of  a  passion  she  could  not  en 
tirely  control.  He  was  determined  to  lose  no  time 
now  in  accomplishing  the  work  that  lay  between  the 
present  and  the  accomplishment  of  his  wishes. 

She  carefully  assisted  him  in  dyeing  his  hair  and 
arranging  the  heavy  false  whi-.kers,  and  declared  him 
a  "duck  of  a  man"  when  the  disguise  (which  she 
carefully  explained  to  Center)  was  completed.  She 
actually  kissed  him  when  he  left — two  days  after. 

To  that  Judas-like  salutation  he  was  indebted  per 
haps  for  the  happiest  moment  of  his  life,  and  while 
over  and  over  again  he  felt  the  thrill  of  her  ripe  lips 
on  his  own,  he  congratulated  himself  upon  the  dis 
covery  that  after  all  she  had  an  affectionate  nature. 
He  started  on  snow  shoes  ;  for  in  that  northern  region 
snow  comes  early,  and  it  was  now  November — -with 
three  or  four  trusty  Indians  (that  is  trusty  from  Cen 
ter's  point  of  view).  He  had  made  arrangements  for 
a  larger  party  to  follow  with  dogs  and  sledges  to  bring 
up  his  supplies,  when  he  and  they  would  return  to 
gether  without  delay. 

He  had  no  fears  that  'Lizbeth  would  try  to  escape; 
how  could  she?  Old  Jim  John  was  to  guard  her  go 
ing  and  coming,  and  the  snow  forbade  any  woman's 
traveling  for.  Besides  he  flattered  himself  she  loved 
him  now. 


334:  MAPLE   RANGE. 

He  had  not  been  gone  two  days,  when  'Lizbeth, 
Center  and  Jim  John,  her  trusty  guard,  with  the  larger 
party  that  he  had  arranged  should  follow  him,  set  out 
on  sledges,  following  the  trail  he  had  broken,  towards 
the  settlements.  The  young  squaw  that  had  shared 
her  bed,  also  shared  her  journey.  They  had  each 
acquired  enough  of  the  other's  language  to  make  con 
versation  very  brisk. 

"Let  'em  talk,"  old  Jim  John  said.  "Let  '  em 
talk,  big,  long,  then  go  faster." 

The  monotonous  journey  was  over  at  last.  In  the 
comparatively  comfortable  sitting  room  of  a  half- 
breed,  who  kept  an  Indian  post,  near  the  frontier, 
they  were  divesting  themselves  of  blankets  and  bear 
skins.  They  had  detoured  from  Langmere's  route 
about  ten  miles  above  to  avoid  his  encampment  which 
they  knew  was  about  half  that  distance  above  the 
post.  The  Indians  that  composed  Center's  party  en 
camped  below  it  two  or  three  miles,  while  he  accom 
panied  'Lizbeth  and  her  companion  to  this  place. 
Though  the  sympathy  of  the  half-breed  that  kept  this 
station  was  believed  to  be  with  the  whites,  the  fact 
that  he  held  that  position  through  the  ^massacre,  and 
still  held  it,  was  indisputable  evidence  that  his  friend 
ship  was  on  the  side  of  the  aborigines.  He  entered 
heartily  into  Center's  plans,  who  proposed  with  him 
to  control  the  stores  Langmere  had  come  to  purchase 
as  soon  as  he  had  paid  for  them.  The  half-breed 
approved  this  plan  so  warmly  that  Center  had  the  sat 
isfaction  of  seeing  a  messenger  depart  for  a  military 
station  some  miles  below.  To  avoid  Langmere,  he 


CHECKMATED.  335 

withdrew  to  the  encampment  to  wait  the  develop 
ment  of  his  plan. 

Langmere,  confiding  in  his  disguise,  lost  no  time 
in  calling  upon  the  half-breed  and  making  the 
acquaintance  of  some  traders  who  had  the  very  com 
modities  he  desired.  These,  in  obedience  to  a  hint, 
caused  negotiations  to  hang  fire  several  days,  but 
finally  promised  to  complete  the  trade  the  following 
day  and  give  him  an  order  on  the  person  who  had 
the  liquors  in  charge.  Agreeable  to  appointment, 
Langmere  discovered  a  large  covered  sleigh  coming 
through  the  woods.  It  stopped  about  ten  rods  from 
the  camp.  Three  gentlemen  got  out  and  advanced 
to  the  fire.  Langmere  recognized  two  of  them  as 
his  business  acquaintances.  They  proceeded  at  once 
to  the  completion  of  their  bargain,  even  receiving 
payment  of  the  money  and  writing  the  order,  when 
one  of  the  traders  said: 

"  You  can  get  into  the  sleigh  if  you  like,  and  ride 
down  with  us,  and  see  that  you  get  the  worth  of  your 
money." 

"  Thanks,"  was  the  reply;  "I  will  do  so,  for  I  am 
anxious  to  get  started  back;  the  force  that  came 
down  to  transport  the  stuff  have  arrived,  but  by  some 
mistake  are  camping,  I  understand,  below  the  station. 
I  will  go  down  and  start  them  out.  We  can  get  a 
good  ways  up  country  before  night." 

While  he  was  speaking  they  had  been  advancing 
towards  the  sleigh,  and  pausing  suddenly,  as  if  a  mor 
tifying  omission  occurred  to  him,  one  of  the  traders 
said: 

".I  must  apologize  to  you,  sir;  though  really,  I 


336  MAPLE   RANGE. 

am  not  acquainted  with  your  name,  but  it  may  not 
be  too  late  to  announce  to  you  that  of  our  friend,  Mr. 
Burke,  an  assistant  provost  marshal/' 

That  gentleman  laid  his  hand  upon  Langmere's 
shoulder,  saying: 

•"You    are   my  .prisoner,    George    Langmere, 
Regiment,    Ohio    Volunteers.       I    arrest    you    as    a 
deserter.      Be  kind  enough  to  accept  these  bracelets  ; 
they  are  a  little  inconvenient  but  very  expressive  of 
rank." 

u  All  right,"  replied  Langmere,  whose  coolness 
never  deserted  him.  "  I  shall  face  the  music,  and  of 
course,  covet  all  the  honors/' 

As  he  stepped  into  the  sleigh,  he  gaily  addressed 
the  jK?rson  on  the  back  seat— 

44  How  are  you,  Mr.  Center?  How  plainly  one 
can  see  through  a  grindstone  when  there  is  a  hole  in 
it." 

They  took  dinner  at  the  station.  Langmere,  im 
perturbable  as  ever,  seated  beside  the  oflicer,  was  pro 
ceeding  to  tell  a  funny  story,  when  "Lixbeth  came  in 
and  took  a  seat  opposite.  lie  bow*  d  to  her  saying: 

"Excuse  me,  but  this  gentleman  insists  that  I 
must  wear  jewelry,  which  obliges  me  to  shake  hands 
with  my  elbows,  so  I  fear  we  shall  have  to  forego  the 
courtesy/' 

She  made  no  reply.  Somehow  she  felt  dreadfully 
sorry  for  him;  could  almost  have  cried  at  the  success 
of  the  plan  she  had  been  so  long  working  for.  Her 
spirits  returned,  however,  when  at  the  close  of  the 
meal  he  hissed  in  her  ear — 


CHECKMATED.  337 

>'  My  robin  got  tired  of  waiting  for  her  new 
feathers  and  her  mate/1 

••She  had  fulfilled  her  destiny,"  she  replied. 

"Well,  she  must  look  to  her  own  natural  mate 
for  the  reward,"  he  sneered  ;  but  she  unflinchingly 
retorted: 

"O  you're  welcome.  I'm  sure.  I  do  not  crave 
reward  for  serving  friends  to  whom  I  am  so  deeply 
indebted." 

"When  you  meet  the  interesting  family  of  Gas 
Hnrkness,  remember  me  to  the  yellow  girl,  and  kiss 
the  child  for  me,"  he  said,  insolently. 

*'  I  never  kiss  now.  save  to  betray.  As  I  have  no 
further  interest  in  either  the  child  or  yourself,  I  shall 
not  undertake  your  commissions,"  she  replied  quickly. 

The  same  conveyance  that  took  the  marshal  and 
his  prisoner  to  the  settlements,  contained  as  a  passen 
ger,  'Lizbeth  Ilarkness.  She  was  sad  now.  'The 
excitement  of  foiling  Langmere  was  over;  she  had 
positive  news  of  the  desolation  of  the  settlement  at 
home;  and  her  parents'  fate,  though  uncertain,  could 
hardly  be  doubted.  Nor  was  her  sadness  dispelled  by 
thoughts  of  her  husband.  She  had  ceased  to  think 
lovingly  of  Gus,  indeed,  her  nearest  approach  to  that 
passion  had  been  too  much  a  love  of  being  loved. 

She  would  ride  silently  for  hours,  watching  the 
trees  as  they  glided  past  like  unsheeted  ghosts  on 
either  side  of  them,  and  listen  to  the  low  dirge-like; 
wail  sobbing  through  their  branches,  as  they  tossed 
them  despairingly  toward  the  sky.  She  had  ample 
time  to  reflect  and  decide  upon  her  future  course.  She 
could  not,  and  would  not  entertain  a  thought  of  Gus, 
W  15 


338  MAPLE   RANGE. 

Henceforth  he  should  be  to  her  as  one  who  had  never 
been.  If  her  father  and  mother  were  living,  she 
would  devote  herself  to  them,  gladly  toiling  that  she 
might  provide  for  them.  But  she  determined  from 
this  time  to  crucify  her  vanity  and  love  of  admiration, 
to  exorcise  by  prayer  and  fasting  the  last  vestige  of 
pride  and  ambition ;  and  taking  up  the  humble 
threads  of  life,  if  she  should  not  realize  the  picture 
of  a  singing  Bertha,  she  would,  at  all  events,  prove 
herself  the  useful  Priscilla.  Thus  musing  and  resolv 
ing,  she  made  the  long,  lonely  journey 

Langmere  never  addressed  her  on  the  way  but 
once.  They  had  reached  a  little  bridge,  which 
spanned  a  stream,  at  which  the  driver  stopped  to 
water  his  horses.  'Lizbeth  remembered  the  place 
well.  Here  it  was,  when  her  adventure  with  Lang- 
mere  had  hardly  begun,  that  he  first  bound  and 
gagged  her,  lest  she  should  attempt  to  escape  or 
attract  attention  by  crying  out.  It  occurred  to  them 
both  now,  vividly;  and  she  seemed  to  feel  the  very 
emotions  she  had  experienced  then.  Her  then 
situation  returned  to  her  with  such  force  that  she 
actually  put  her  hand  to  her  mouth  as  if  to  remove 
the  bandage,  and  moved  her  feet  to  make  sure  they 
were  free.  Langmere  was  sitting  behind  her,  and 
seeing  her  movements  rightly  surmised  their  cause. 
As  if  uttering  her  own  thoughts,  with  a  voice  so 
nearly  like  triumph,  that  the  counterfeit  seemed  to 
have  the  ring  of  genuine  metal,  he  said  : 

"  CJieckmate  /" 


RESTORATION.  339 


CHAPTEE     XVII. 

RESTORATION. 

In  the  cool,  green  shade  of  forests, 

Where  the  dew  is  never  dry, 
A  twitter  of  birds  in  the  branches, 

And  little  blue  spots  of  sky. 

TT1IS  a  hazy  "  Indian  Summer  "  day.  The  waters 
-L  of  Lake  Itasca  shimmer  in  the  sun.  The 
shore  is  thickly  wooded,  the  pine  and  the  stately  hem 
lock,  the  sensitive  poplar,  the  sturdy  oak,  the  beech, 
whose  clinging  moss  guides  the  bewildered  traveler 
northward ;  the  maple,  also,  with  its  beautiful  leaves, 
and  the  sweet  birch,  the  ' '  incense-bearer  of  the 
woods,"  all  contribute  their  quota  to  provide  that  for 
est  fringe  around  Lake  Itasca's  shores. 

A  narrow  vista  through  the  roof  of  interlacing 
branch  and  richly  tinted  leaf  lets  down  the  light  upon 
a  little  bay  where  a  canoe  is  moored.  A  dark-eyed, 
sad  featured,  but  beautiful  woman  sits  in  the  canoe. 
At  her  feet,  her  head  inclined  as  if  listening,  sits  a 
white  girl,  whose  pearly  complexion  seems  transpar 
ent  in  contrast  with  the  dark  skin  of  her  companion. 

The  lovely  sylvan  scene  is  one  to  make  the  bosom 
thrill  with  emotions  akin  to  higher  life,  lifted  by  their 
refined  agency  to  heaven.  Something  of  this  silent 


340  MAPLE    RANGE. 

worship  seemed  to  hold  this  woman  spell-bound,  for 
she  held  in  her  hand  an  irresolute  oar  and  gazed  now 
with  moistening  eye  upon  the  fair,  pale  face  in  her 
lap,  now  at  the  dimpling  wavelets  that  musically 
lapped  the  shore,  and  then  above,  upon  the  Sum 
mer  foliage,  and  the  pure  blue  sky  beyond. 
Love  was  written  upon  her  features,  love  shone  in 
her  dewy  eyes — love  not  all  material,  nor  yet  all  spir 
itual. 

A  sound  that  the  quick  ear  of  an  Indian  only 
would  catch,  an  infinitesimal  echo  of  dipping  oars, 
roused  Miannetta,  for  she  it  was,  and  by  a  single 
stroke,  that  showed  her  mistress  of  the  dainty  shaft, 
the  canoe  was  gliding  noiselessly  as  a  fairy  craft  out 
of  its  leafy  hiding  place.  Now  on  the  bosom  of  the 
lake  she  rowed  rapidly  toward  an  island,  a  half  mile 
from  the  shore,  nor  was  her  tiny  shallop  all  alone.  A 
hundred  others  of  similar  construction  accompanied 
it.  Each  moment,  from  some  point  on  the  leafy 
shore,  there  glided  a  re-inforcement,  till  it  really 
seemed  as  if,  from  out  the  sky,  a  fairy  fleet  had  sud 
denly  dropped  down,  all  heading  towards  the  emerald 
isle  in  midlake.  Then  silently  is  moored  to  its  bank 
that  nestles  down  to  the  wave  the  fleet,  whose  crew 
have  in  a  moment  disappeared.  Now,  in  the  center 
of  the  isle,  are  warriors  in  fantastic  garb.  No  war 
paint  disfigures  the  stolid  yet  fine-looking  features,  the 
fusee  is  left  in  the  lodge,  the  hatchet  is  buried. 
The  frontier  settler  never  knows  the  hour  of  its 
resurrection. 

At  the  apex  of  this  little  island    mound  a  rude 
post  has  been  set,  and  on  this  post,  rudely  traced,  is 


KESTORATION.  341 

the  coat  of  arms  of  a  "  Northern  League  " — a  circle 
of  braves  with  a  heart  in  their  midst.  These  were 
the  small  remnant  of  a  once  powerful  tribe  of  Cana 
dian  Indians,  that  belonged  to  that  wonderful  confed 
eration  known  as*  the  "League  of  the  Five  Na 
tions.  " 

Around  the  post  the  silent  band  were  seated  on 
the  ground,  smoking  the  calumet  successively.  Near 
est  the  post,  upon  rich  mats,  were  Miannetta  and  her 
charge,  evidently  objects  of  particular  deference,  for 
they  were  the  only  women  within  the  charmed  circle. 
Other  women  were  near,  but  remained  outside,  the 
delighted  witnesses  of  the  several  ceremonies. 

On  the  other  side  of  the  post  sat  the  musicians  of 
the  tribe — an  old  withered  medicine-man  with  his 
drum,  a  sharp-eyed  boy  with  his  rattle,  the  latter 
keeping  slow  time  to  the  drumming  and  historic  chant 
of  the  bowed  old  minstrel,  from  whose  lips  dropped 
the  musical  legends  of  the  tribe. 

An  hour  they  listened  to  the  monotonous  recapit 
ulations.  Then  "Springing  Panther,"  the  chief  of 
the  league,  arose,  and  all  in  an  instant  were  on  their 
feet.  With  low  obeisance  to  the  minstrel,  the  stately 
chieftain  opened  the  swinging  dance,  and  every  throat 
droned  out  a  deep,  guttural  strain,  in  time  with  the 
beating  of  the  drum.  One  after  another  fell  into  the 
dance,  a  long,  chanting,  zigzag  line,  winding  round 
and  round  the  post,  a  dusky,  curious  file.  The  sun 
pours  down  its  warm  rays  upon  their  hirsute  limbs, 
and  their  terpsichorean  enthusiasm  seems  to  gather 
strength  as  they  wind.  Shorter  and  heavier  grow  the 
beats  upon  the  drum,  the  eyes  of  the  boy  are  aflame 


342  MAPLE   RANGE. 

as  he  holds  higher  his  vibrating  rattle.  The  stamps 
of  the  dancers  are  more  expressive  now,  and  as  if 
their  voices  were  one,  a  deafening  shout  rolls  out  upon 
the  air  —  echoed  from  the  opposite  shores.  The 
whole  band  sinks  to  the  earth  in  silence  while  the 
eldest  sachem  speaks. 

"  Brothers,  this  is  our  anniversary  of  the  'league.' 
The  sun  smiles;  we  have  not  offended  him.  Our  rice 
and  corn  are  plentiful;  we  have  done  well.  Birds 
darken  the  sky,  fishes  flash  in  the  water,  game 
abounds  in  the  forest ;  we  shall  not  starve.  We  have 
no  fevers,  we  have  no  war  ;  let  us  thank  the  Great 
Spirit." 

Waving  his  arm  aloft,  again  rang  out  the  shrill 
whoop,  and  then  each  dusky  warrior  sought  in  silence 
his  canoe.  Again,  from  the  island  across  the  lake, 
glided  the  fleet — men  and  women  using  the  oars  with 
equal  dexterity 

Upon  the  shore  of  the  lake,  two  Indians  raised 
upon  their  shoulders  a  litter,  upon  which  reclined  the 
form  of  the  white  girl ;  and  now  to  their  village, 
miles  up  the  lake,  in  single  file  they  march — their 
trail  like  a  deep  furrow  cut  through  the  wood.  A 
long  ro\v  of  tepees,  curved  like  an  Indian  bow,  nestled 
against  a  similarly  curved  forest,  is  reflected  in  the 
clear,  still  waters  of  the  crescent-shaped  bay.  Here 
in  this  rude  village,  Miannetta,  after  long  and  indefat 
igable  search,  had  found  Nellie — but  not  the  Nellie  of 
the  old  "Maples"  memory — merry,  gentle  and  soul 
ful.  Of  these,  gentleness  only  remained,  and  that 
was  of  a  kind  that  inspires  pity.  No  word  ever 
passed  her  lips,  even  to  Miannetta,  who  loved  her  well, 


RESTORATION.  343 

and  with  whom  she  had  been  so  familiar  at  home. 
She  seemed  ever  to  be  listening  for  something  she 
never  heard.  In  other  respects  she  retained  her  phys 
ical  faculties,  though  her  eyes  had  a  vacant  look,  or 
if  any,  an  expression  like  that  of  some  gentle  animal. 
She  ate  and  walked  like  a  somnambulist.  She  had 
been  picked  up  by  the  admiring  chieftain,  ' '  Spring 
ing  Panther,"  who  found  her  where  she  fell,  beside 
the  spring.  Believing  the  blow  she  had  received 
would  not  be  fatal,  and  obeying  the  attraction  we 
often  notice  of  natures  extremely  opposite,  he  bore 
her  into  the  woods  and  gave  her  into  the  care  of 
squaws,  who  had  treated  her  very  tenderly,  according 
to  his  instructions. 

During  the  long  march  to  this  northern  locality, 
she  had  been  carried  on  the  shoulders  of  the  Indians, 
growing  apparently  stronger,  but  never  speaking. 
Miannetta  now  claimed  the  right  of  an  old  friend,  to 
care  for  her  ;  but  she  was  first  put  under  oath  by  the 
intervention  of  the  wampum,  that  she  would  never 
take  Nellie  back  without  the  entire  knowledge  and 
consent  of  him  who  brought  her  away.  Miannetta 
had  a  sacred  regard  for  that  belt  as  well  as  he,  and 
she  was  bound.  No  harm  would  ever  come  to  Nellie 
if  she  attempted  to  take  her  away,  but  she  had  said 
•'I  will  not,"  and  though  she  wished  much  to  take 
her  to  Robert,  without  the  canceling  of  that  promise 
she  never  would.  Alone  she  would  thread  the  forest 
path,  go  back  and  tell  him  all,  if  so  it  seemed  best ; 
but  she  would  keep  her  Indian  vow.  She  was  pro 
vided  with  all  the  comforts  and  luxuries  available. 
The  elegant  wigwam,  assigned  and  fitted  up  for  her 


344r  MAPLE   EANGE. 

use  and  Nellie's,  was  a  circular  tent,  made  very  warm 
and  neat  by  being  lined  throughout  with  the  inside 
bark  of  the  birch,  beautifully  mottled  and  very  sweet 
to  the  smell.  The  hard-beaten,  earth  floor  was  car 
peted  with  wolf  skins,  sewed  together  with  the  sinews 
of  elk  so  cunningly  as  to  look  like  a  pack  of  the  ani 
mals  in  chase.  In  the  center  of  the  room  was  a 
hollow  tree,  at  the  foot  of  which  was  a  stone  fire-place, 
so  built  that  the  former  served  as  a  chimney  to  carry 
off  the  smoke.  A  low  bedstead,  with  rich  mattings, 
blankets  and  seal-skin  spread,  occupied  one  side  of 
the  room  ;  a  table  and  cupboard,  the  other.  The 
latter  was  so  covered  with  rare  and  valuable  orna 
ments  as  to  completely  conceal  the  puncheons  of 
which  it  was  composed.  Rude  ottomans,  covered 
with  beaver  or  other  handsome  fur,  lay  carelessly 
scattered  about ;  but  Nellie's  couch,  near  the  fire,  was 
the  crowning  piece  of  furniture.  Luxurious  and  soft, 
its  lavish  profusion  of  magnificent  furs,  its  ornaments 
of  beads  and  mother-of-peajl,  would,  in  more  civilized 
circles,  have  indicated  its  owner  as  the  scion  of  some 
royal  house,  or  the  favorite  of  some  Eastern  harem, 
and  its  beautiful  occupant  would  in  no  wise  have  dis 
pelled  the  illusion.  The  stuffed  birds  that  were  sus 
pended  from  the  tent's  sloping  walls,  seemed  to  hang 
poised  on  their  waiting  wing.  A  beautiful  tame 
mocking-bird,  of  dark  red  plumage,  had  the  freedom 
of  the  wigwam,  and  made  music  all  the  day  for  Mian- 
netta,  who  watched  her  fair  charge,  not  impatiently. 
She  was  one  who  had  learned  that  hardest  of  all 
lessons,  to  wait. 

Here  the  Winter  was  passed  comfortably,  and  the 


RESTORATION.  345 

Spring  came,  bringing  no  change  to  Nellie,  except 
that  through  the  long  Winter  confinement  she  grew 
to  look  even  more  delicate  and  spiritual.  She  was 
always  a  sunshine  flower,  never  seeming  to  flourish  in 
the  shade,  and  she  looked  very  frail  now.  Miannetta 
would  sigh  as  she  held  the  little  hand  to  the  sunlight. 
It  was  clear  as  a  beautiful  carnelian,  turning  rosy  in 
its  rays. 

Nothing  of  interest  occurred  during  the  Spring 
months,  and  in  June  the  preparation  for  the  festival, 
or,  as  the  Indians  term  it,  uthe  strawberry  dance," 
was  the  first  real  appearance  of  gaiety. 

It  was  a  late  season,  and  the  very  last  of  the  month 
saw  the  best  of  the  berries.  The  week's  preparation 
completed,  they  all  repaired,  as  before,  to  the  island, 
where,  on  the  ground  around  the  post,  was  piled  an 
immense  bed  of  green  strawberry  leaves.  The  usual 
position  was  assumed,  the  chant  commenced,  and  feet 
kept  time  to  the  weird  music  of  the  drum  and  rattle  ; 
but  they  did  not  rotate  until  some  minutes,  when  each 
threw  upon  the  leaves  a  basket  full  of  delicious  berries. 
Several  times  they  went  round,  and  then  pausing,  the 
foremost  chief  addressed  them,  recounting  "  the  innu 
merable  benefits  and  kindly  offices  of  the  Earth — the 
home  of  the  living  brotherhood  and  the  cherishing 
tomb  of  the  dead  ;  the  receptacle  of  the  seed  and 
producer  of  the  strawberry.  He  bowed  his  head  in 
reverential  gaze  upon  the  ground,  and  laying  his 
hand  upon  his  breast,  cried  : 

"  Earth,  we  thank  thee  ! " 

The  whole  band  repeated  his  words  in  a  wild 
chant,  stamping  and  circling  round,  then  paused. 


346  MAPLE   EANGE. 

The  chief,  turning  his  eyes  to  the  Itasca's  smooth 
surface,  proposed  as  the  next  sentiment : 

"Water  —  bearing  canoes  safely,  slaking  thirst; 
giving  drink,  and  therefore  perfection,  to  the  straw 
berry — water,  we  thank  thee  ! " 

Again  the  march  and  chant  around  the  post,  then 
the  pause.  The  chief  raised  his  head  and  waved  his 
hand  to  and  fro,  saying  : 

"For  sweeping  off  all  poison  vapors,  bringing 
rain,  cooling  the  weary  frame  and  giving  breath 
while  are  gathered  strawberries — air,  we  thank  thee  ! 
'  On  with  the  dance  !  let  voice  be  uncon  fined  ! ' 

With  chant  and  quickening  feet,  the  sentiment  is 
enthusiastically  received. 

Nellie  was  dressed  in  the  holiday  attire  of  young 
Indian  women.  Excepting  her  hair,  there  was  nothing 
unusual  about  her.  Since  her  capture  she  had  worn 
it  combed  straight  back  and  braided  in  two  long  plaits 
hanging  down  behind,  but  to-day  Miannetta  had  dress 
ed  it  in  the  old  style. 

A  shower  of  golden  curls  rippled  down  beside  her 
face  and  over  her  shoulders.  She  seemed  as  usual  all 
day,  apathetic,  unobservant — a  beautiful  statue  of 
some  saint,  an  angel  sent  to  earth  on  some  divine 
commission  and  frozen  at  her  task.  While  the  dance 
was  at  its  height,  Miannetta,  watching  with  jealous 
care  every  movement  of  her  charge,  saw  a  quick, 
burning  flush  upon  the  cheek  that  had  so  long  been 
colorless.  For  several  minutes  the  unaccustomed  car 
mine  had  lain  there,  while  the  wan  hand,  so  long  idle, 
toyed  with  a  curl  that  dangled  against  her  forehead, 
then  fell  helpless  again  in  her  lap,  and  the  flush  paled 


RESTORATION.  347 

out  of  her  cheek.  AVhen  the  dance  ended  Miannetta 
arose,  lifting  her  hand  high  above  her  head  as  betok 
ening  a  desire  to  be  heard.  Every  brave  and  every 
maid  sank  silently  to  the  ground  while  she  spoke. 

"Brothers,  in  the  shade  of  yonder  trees,  when  the 
Autumn  wind  was  blowing,  I  found  this  poor  stricken 
girl,  and  I  gave  you  my  word,  with  her  to  wait  your 
will.  You  know  with  what  faith  my  mother's  line 
bore  the  sacred  flame  through  all  the  '  long  house  of 
the  League.'  That  faith  is  mine.  Now  by  certain 
signs  I  know  the  time  draws  nigh  when  light  will 
come  again  to  these  starry  eyes,  arid  sound  to  the  long 
silent  lips.  But  if  she  wakens  here  both  light  and 
voice  will  last  a  moment  only,  for  she  will  die  ! 
Brothers,  I  have  said?  " 

She  sat  down  and  the  chieftain  who  had  put  her 
under  oath,  arose  and  with  the  wampum  in  his  hand 
approached  her,  saying : 

"  Miannetta  has  spoken  truly,  her  faith  has  been 
proven  hundreds  of  years  by  her  unbroken  lineage. 
It  shall  be  unquestioned  now.  By  this  sacred  token 
she  is  absolved  of  her  oath.  If  she  can  save  from 
death  the  '  silent  lily '  she  is  free  to  take  her  to  her 
far  off  home  and  Springing  Panther  will  die  !  " 

He  raised  Nellie's  hand  to  his  lips,  severed  a  curl 
from  her  head  and  noiselessly  departed.  The  whole 
band  of  dusky  excursionists  defiled  to  the  water's 
edge  and  "swift  were  the  barks  that  bore  them  from 
the  lovely  moss-grown  isle."  Miannetta  made  rapid 
preparations  (assisted  by  Springing  Panther,  who  how 
ever  never  ventured  to  look  upon  Nellie's  face  that  he 
had  grown  to  love  too  well)  for  the  long  journey  which 


348  MAPLE   RANGE. 

she  knew  must  be  accomplished  by  easy  stages.  Thir 
ty  stalwart  Indians  went  with  them,  packing  ponies 
bearing  the  provisions  and  camp  equipage  and  canoes. 
Nellie,  by  the  chiefs  orders,  traveled  as  before,  borne 
on  the  shoulders  of  Indians  in  a  comfortable  litter. 

Two  weary  weeks  they  were  on  the  march.  They 
reached  the  boundary  of  the  ' '  The  Maples "  estate 
just  at  nightfall.  Three  trusty  Indians  remained  with 
them,  the  rest  had  swiftly  retraced  their  steps  from 
the  last  encampment,  for  it  was  not  safe  for  such  a 
large  force  to  be  in  the  neighborhood  of  the  whites. 
Miannetta  took  unusual  care  that  quiet  reigned  about 
the  camp  and  that  her  charge  slept  early.  After 
Nellie  was  sound  asleep,  she  left  her  and  wended 
her  way  under  the  bright  moonlight  to  the  farm 
house.  All  was  still  in  the  kitchen,  but  a  plaintive 
strain  reached  her  ears  from  the  side  porch  where 
Robert  sat  whistling.  She  approached,  and,  through 
the  breezy  lift  of  the  vines,  saw  his  noble  face  which 
bore  the  refining  evidences  of  great  sorrow.  Gently 
she  spoke : 

"  Robert,  I  have  accomplished  my  mission." 

"Miannetta!  Where  is  Nellie?"  he  quickly 
asked. 

"She  lives;  come  with  me  and  you  shall  see 
her." 

Together  they  walked  toward  the  camp,  Robert's 
eager  step  showing  his  impatience  of  her  moderation. 

' '  I  can  not  keep  pace  with  you,  Miannetta  ;  par 
don  my  impatience,  but  I  long  so  to  clasp  my  darling 
sister  once  more  in  my  arms. " 

"And  yet,  Robert,  you  must  promise  me  you  will 


RESTORATION.  349 

not  touch  her,  will  not  breathe  a  word  in  her  ear,  that 
you  will  be  satisfied  to  look  upon  her  sleeping  face." 

He  looked  wonderingly  in  her  eyes.  A  terrible 
thought  crossed  his  soul ;  a  thought  of  the  possible 
extremity  to  which  his  pure  and  beautiful  sister  might 
have  been  driven  by  savage  passion.  The  thought 
was  maddening.  Laying  his  hand  upon  his  com 
panion's  arm  almost  fiercely,  and  sending  a  look  that 
explained  his  thought  to  her  very  heart.  In  a  husky 
whisper  he  said : 

"And  is  it  worse  than  death  !  O,  tell  me  not  that, 
in  God's  name !  " 

"Robert,  you  do  not  comprehend  me,  poor  boy! 
As  unpolluted  as  the  snow  on  the  mountain  top  do  I 
restore  Nellie  to  you,  but  she  now  walks  in  darkness." 

Then  she  told  him  all,  of  Nellie's  long,  long  night, 
of  which  she  seemed  to  have  almost  a  premonition, 
the  reader  will  remember,  in  that  last  good  night  ex 
changed  with  her  father  and  mother  a  year  ago. 

Relieved  of  that  one  blighting  suspicion  regarding 
her,  Robert  listened  almost  calmly  to  the  long  story 
Miannetta  told  him,  and  acquiesced  when  she  added  : 
' '  To-morrow,  as  you  know,  is  the  anniversary  of  fear 
ful  events.  Our  prophets  say,  that  certain  influences 
prevail  on  certain  days  of  the  year,  and  recur  in  more 
or  less  force  each  anniversary  :  who  knows  what  may 
befall  Nellie  to-morrow  ? " 

' '  Yes,  Miannetta,  the  idea  is  not  new,  nor  enter 
tained  alone  by  your  prophets.  Our  wisest,  most 
philosophic  minds  believe  that.  But  what  do  you 
propose  doing?  I  know  you  have  a  plan,  or  you 
would  have  brought  Nellie  home  to-night." 


350  MAPLE   RANGE. 

' '  I  can  not  tell  yon  all  my  plans,  but  this  part  is 
for  you.  Wait  to-morrow  till  she  comes  to  you  and 
whatever  whim  she  may  have,  do  not  thwart  her,  or 
enlighten  her  in  the  least ;  she  must  not  know  of  your 
parents'  death ;  she  must  not  see  the  new  faces  at  the 
farm  house.  To  her  questioning  your  answers  must 
accord  as  far  as  possible  with  the  answer  evidently 
expected  by  her ;  there  must  be  no  shock.  She  must 
seem  to  take  up  her  life  just  as  she  laid  it  down  one 
year  ago.  Do  you  comprehend  me  ? " 

"  Yes,  and  I  am  impressed  with  the  cleverness 
of  your  plan.  Now  let  me  look  at  her." 

He  followed,  stooping  to  enter  the  little  bedroom 
of  blankets,  which  was  lighted  by  the  bright  camp 
fire  before  it.  She  lay  like  an  exquisite  piece  of 
sculptured  marble.  One  fair  hand  was  beneath  her 
head,  crowned  with  its  halo  of  sunset  hair.  Her 
slumber  was  so  deep  and  motionless  that  he  felt  an 
icy  chill  gather  about  his  heart.  Miannetta  read  his 
fear  in  his  face,  and  whispered: 

' '  Do  not  fear ;  so  she  has  slept  each  night  for 
months. " 

His  tears  fell  fast,  as  he  bent  yearningly  over  her, 
but  those  were  not  all  tears  of  sadness.  He  went 
outside,  and,  seated  by  the  fire,  watched  the  camp 
till  morning.  He  went  home,  and  with  Mr.  McDou- 
gal,  brought  them  breakfast,  which,  however,  the 
three  Indians  did  not  share  ;  they  had  left  the  night 
before,  and  were  now  far  on  their  way  toward  Lake 
Itasca. 

The  warm  Summer  sun  had  passed  the  meridian, 
when  Miannetta  took  from  a  ba£  the  dress  of  dark 


EESTOKATION.  351 

print,  which  Nellie  had  worn  on  that  sad  day,  one 
year  ago,  long  preserved  for  this  very  purpose,  this 
very  hour.  It  required  some  ripping  of  seams  and 
re-sewing  to  fit  the  form,  which  in  the  year  had 
rounded  into  more  perfect  womanliness.  While  thus 
engaged,  her  hand  trembled  with  excitement  and  fear, 
lest,  after  all,  she  had  not  found  the  key  to  this  poor 
child's  thralldom  ;  but  there  is  an  intuition  in  woman, 
superior  to  all  the  science  of  professions  and  schools. 

Nellie  sat,  unmoved  as  ever,  under  the  hair  dress 
ing  and  robing  process.  She  took  no  notice  when 
Mr.  McDougal  and  a  farm  hand  lifted  the  litter, 
hitherto  borne  by  Indians,  and  carried  her  through 
the  woods.  The  sun  was  getting  low ;  Miannetta 
looked  anxiously  upon  its  rapid  decline,  and  then, 
noticing  Nellie's  hand  move  to  her  head  and  take 
hold  of  a  curl,  pulling  it  out  straight  and  winding  it 
again  about  her  finger,  while  a  flush  lay  upon  her 
face,  she  whispered  to  the  bearers  : 

"  Increase  your  speed.  In  Heaven's  name 
hurry." 

They  did  so,  and  set  her  down  as  Miannetta 
directed,  by  the  spring,  then  hurried  away.  She 
made  an  effort  to  get  upon  her  feet,  but  fell  heavily, 
Miannetta  assisted  her  to  rise,  and  then  dreAv  back 
out  of  sight. 

For  a  moment,  Nellie  stood  as  usual.  A  cow  was 
lowing  in  the  lane  that  led  from  the  clover  field  to 
the  dairy  house;  from  a  calf  sho  had  been  Nellie's.  The 
spring  gurgled,  as  its  waters  sought  the  channel  under 
the  dairy  wall  over  the  smooth  stone  floor,  and  to 
that  sound  she  suddenly  inclined  her  ear,  that  ever 


352  MAPLE    RANGE. 

seemed  to  be  listening.  The  sun  has  gone,  a  flush 
warms  up  her  either  cheek  ;  a  light  of  intelligence 
steals  into  her  eyes  ;  she  turns  and  looks  upon  the 
familiar  sights  of  her  childhood's  years,  and  woman 
hood's  dawn — house,  trees,  and  prairie — with  almost 
a  smile  on  her  glowing  lips.  She  bends  over  the 
spring,  dips  her  hand  in  the  cool  water,  and  scatter 
ing  the  drops  upon  the  grass  at  her  feet,  lays  it 
moist  upon  her  forehead,  while  she  gathers  up  the 
threads  of  broken  melody  (dropped  at  the  close  of 
the  first  line  of  her  song,  commenced  a  year  ago  this 
very  moment),  and  the  air  thrills  to  her  sweet  voice. 
Hark ! 

"From  every  cum'bring  care, 
And  spend  the  hour  of  closing  day, 
In  humble,  grateful  prayer." 

While  she  sings  she  is  following  the  path  that  led 
out  upon  the  prairie.  She  gathers  a  generous  bouquet 
of  the  rich  purple  flowers,  and  returns  with  them  to 
the  spring.  She  takes  out  the  vase  so  long  concealed 
and  dipping  it  full  of  water,  walks  up  the  path 
while  arranging  her  flowers  ;  holding  it  up  and 
smiling  with  satisfaction  at  the  perfection  of  her 
work.  She  seems  oblivious  of  all  else,  till,  stepping 
into  the  kitchen  door,  she  meets  Kobert.  She  set 
her  flowers  in  a  chair  and  threw  her  arms  about 
his  neck,  crying  : 

"  O,  brother  Robbie,  how  glad  I  am  to  see  you  ; 
you  came  sooner  than  I  expected.  See  our  flowers, 
how  perfect  they  are  ;  I  was  going  to  put  them  in 
your  room. " 


RESTORATION.  353 

"  I  brought  you  a  present ;  another  vase,  the  twin 
I  think,  of  this.  Shall  we  go  up  to  my  room  and  see 
it?" 

"  Have  you  already  been  there  ?  " 

"Yes,  and  inadvertently  left  the  vase." 

"Why,  what  child  is  this?"  she  asked,  as  Ruth 
Palmer's  boy,  escaping  from  restraint,  came  in  and 
ran  to  Robert,  who  explained  — 

"  A  little  orphan  child  I  brought  you  to  take  care 
of." 

"  What's  his  name  ?  " 

"Freddie  Palmer,"  laughed  the  child,  whom  she 
kissed  and  said : 

"Two  little  Freddie  Palmers  for  me  to  love.  Did 
you  meet  father  and  mother.  Robert  ? " 

"Yes." 

Ah !  how  deep  the  wound  opened  by  the  recollection 
of  that  meeting. 

"And  tell  them  of  this  beautiful  little  fellow  I 
am  to  care  for." 

He  avoided  an  answer  by  saying  : 

"  Come  I  want  to  compare  the  vases." 

"Yes,  in  a  minute,  when  I  introduce  Freddie  to 
old  Hector." 

"No,  no,  I  shall  be  jealous  of  both  of  them,  if 
you  do  n't  come  now. " 

He  took  her  arm  and  led  her  away  up-stairs,  lest 
some  change  below  should  attract  her.  On  the  stair 
she  stopped  and  called: 

"  Cloe  !  Cloe  !  She  does  not  answer  me,  I  must 
go  and  find  her,  and  tell  her  to  give  Freddie  some 

X         15* 


354  MAPLE   RANGE. 

bread  and  milk,  and  when  he  goes  to  sleep  to  put  him 
in  my  bed." 

"Never  mind  now.  She  knows  well  enough 
what  you  will  expect  her  to  do.  Come,  I  never  like  to 
wait  when  I  wish  particularly  to  do  anything,"  he 
said,  impatiently. 

They  entered  the  room,  she  advanced  with  her  vase 
of  flowers  to  the  table,  singing  : 

"Bring  flowers  to  strew  in  the  conqueror's  path, 
He  has  shaken  a  world  with  his  stormy  wrath. 

"Forgive  me,  Robbie,  I  did  mean  to  cry  all  the 
time  when  you  came  home. " 

"So  sorry,  eh?" 

"No,"  she  said  with  a  peal  of  laughter,  "not 
sorry  you  came,  but  sorry  that  you  must  go  again. 
But  instead  of  being  sad  I  am  so  joyous." 

' '  Go  where  ?  "  he  said,  forgetting  himself. 

"Why,  into  the  army,  where  you  belong,  Rob." 

"But  if  I  do  not  go?'1 

"  Robert !  "  She  looked  at  him  very  gravely,  then 
continued,  ' '  Will  your  staying  bring  a  blush  to  your 
brow,  or  grief  to  mother's  heart  ?  Is  there  no  shame 
in  it,  since,  having  enlisted,  it  will  seem  strange  that 
you  remain  at  home  ?  " 

"  No,  Nellie,  I  shall  not  blush  ;  there  is  no  grief \ 
no  shame  ;  it  is  not  strange." 

"Then  I  will  laugh  and  you  shall  not  be  sad." 

Miannetta  came  in  with  a  lighted  lamp  and  said, 

"  Why,  Nellie,  you  are  wildly  joyous  to-night." 

"Behold  my  inspiration.  My  brother's  come 
to  go  no  more."  She  sat  down  on  his  knee  and  put- 


RESTORATION.  355 

ting  her  arms  about  his  neck  gave  way  to  uncontroll 
able  laughter,  greatly  to  Robert's  alarm,  for  he  feared 
her  mind  would  never  entirely  recover  its  equilibrium. 
She  was  so  excited  that  he  looked  to  Miannetta  to 
stay  the  tide  of  tumultuous  joy.  But  oh,  who  could 
speak  the  word  to  that  lovely,  joyous  creature,  th_at 
would  shadow  her  spirit,  just  burst  so  radiantly  from 
long  continued  gloom.  Miannetta  came  close  to  her 
and  said  : 

"  I  put  a  light  in  your  room,  Nellie,  thinking  you 
would  be  there.  Shall  I  extinguish  it  ?  " 

"No  ;  I  am  going  down  now.  Will  you  go  with 
me,  Robbie  ?  " 

They  all  went  down  together.  Robert  had  taken 
care  everything  should  be  as  she  left  it,  and  she  en 
tered  with  his  arm  about  her.  She  drew  him  along 
to  the  wardrobe  and  laughingly  said  as  she  shut  the 
door, 

"  I  do  n't  want  that  thing  gaping  at  me." 

"  What  do  you  read  these  days  ?  "  he  asked,  tak 
ing  up  the  book  that  she  had  lain  down  a  year  ago. 

"Nothing  to-night.  I  promised  mother  not  to 
read." 

"  Well,  let  us  sit  down  and  talk  then,  instead." 

' '  Yes,  when  I  get  my  glass  of  milk.  Cloe  has 
forgotten  to  bring  it;  or  no,  she  must  be  rocking  Fred 
die  to  sleep." 

"  I  will  go  for  it,"  said  Robert,  "  and  prove  my 
love  by  willing  service." 

She  took  the  milk  from  him  when  he  returned  and 
drank  it,  saying  : 

"  If  that  glass  of  milk  were  to  be  given  to  me  at 


356  MAPLE   EANQE. 

the  North  Pole,  I  should  know  it  was  Zephyr's  milk, 
it  is  so  sweet." 

A  long  talk  followed.  She  told  him  all  the  little 
home  gossip  in  which  her  mother  figured  extensively, 
and  his  tears  were  many  times  nearly  discovered  when 
the  conversation  dwelt  upon  events  of  a  year  ago. 

"I  am  tired,  Robbie.  Will  you  excuse  me  to 
night  from  visiting  any  more  ?  To-morrow  morning 
I  want  to  go  out  with  you  and  sit  on  our  old  favorite 
tree-chair  (the  very  spot  where  her  mother  was  buried) 
and  tell  you  some  of  my  wonderful  thoughts  while 
reading  that  book.  I  dare  not  tell  mother,  she  would 
put  the  book  away." 

"  Well,  you  put  the  thoughts  away,  little  sister, 
to-night,  and  to-morrow  we  will  compare  our  thinking 
on  your  book.  Good  night." 

He  kissed  her  and  left  the  room,  out  not  to  go  to 
bed.  When  all  was  quiet,  he,  with  Miannetta  and 
Mrs.  McDougal,  went  in  to  look  upon  the  precious, 
fair  face.  A  warm,  healthy  tinge  was  on  her  cheek, 
and  in  her  slumber,  blessed  with  pleasant  dreams,  she 
moved  naturally,  and  threw  a  white,  round,  dimpled 
arm  above  her  head.  Smiling  in  her  sleep,  she  mur 
mured  coaxingly, 

' '  Mother,  do  n't  tell  Robbie.     He  '11  laugh  at  me. " 

When  the  women  raised  their  moist  eyes,  Robert 
had  left  the  room,  unable  to  control  his  deep  emotion. 
Endowed  with  strength  of  mind  rare  in  one  so  young, 
Robert  had  still  a  heart  sensitive  to  smallest  wounds. 
Against  that  heart  of  late  had  been  directed  shafts 
steeped  in  sorrow,  but  though  it  quivered  and  bled,  it 
had  never  grown  bitter.  As  one  who  walks  in  dark- 


RESTORATION.  357 

ness,  amid  dangers,  clings  to  the  guide  he  feels  but 
can  not  see,  there  had  been  a  clinging  in  all  his  sorrow 
to  Him  who  whispered,  "Fear  not,  for  I  am  with 
thee."  He  drank  in  the  soothing  influences  of  the 
moon's  rays  as  he  walked  up  and  down  the  graveled 
drive  under  the  trees,  where  after  a  while  Miannetta 
joined  him. 

"  Are  you  not  very  weary  ?  "  he  asked. 

"No,"  she  answered  absently  ;  "at  least,  I  am  not 
ready  to  retire.  I  have  something  to  say  to  you. 
May  I  say  it  now  ?  " 

"Certainly,"  he  said,  and  offered  her  his  arm. 
"Has  not  the  service  you  have  rendered  me  given 
you  the  right  to  command,  rather  than  to  beg  atten 
tion  ?  " 

"  I  just  came  from  Nellie's  room  ;  her  sleep  is  as 
natural  as  an  infant's.  You  will  tell  her  all  to-mor 
row  ?  " 

"Yes,  if  you  think  best.  I  came  out  to  think 
how  best  to  do  it,  I  am  so  fearful  she  may  relapse." 

"I  have  no  fears  now,"  said  Miannetta.  "One 
night  of  natural  rest,  I  think,  was  essential  to  thor 
oughly  restore  her  and  call  into  healthy  activity  long 
suspended  faculties.  These  fragile  women  often  bear 
sorrow  very  composedly.  Her  late  disability  was 
physical,  the  result  of  a  blow  she  never  realized.  I 
have  known  women  that  she  resembles,  who,  with 
the  appearance  of  extreme  delicacy,  possessed  powers 
of  almost  marvelous  endurance.  I  believe  she 'will 
bear  this  better,  perhaps,  than  you  have  done." 

"I  hope  she  may,"  he  said  fervently.  "But, 
Miannetta,  aside  from  the  death  of  father  and  mother. 


358  MAPLE   RANGE. 

aside  from  the  anxiety  I  have  felt  for  Nellie,  I  have 
waded  through  waves  of  sorrow  that  would  easily 
overwhelm  stronger  men  than  I." 

Miannetta  took  Annette's  picture  from  her  pocket 
and  laying  it  in  his  hand,  said  : 

"  Tell  me  truly,  I  do  not  ask  through  idle  curiosity, 
do  you  love  the  original  of  this  ?  " 

"Truly,  devotedly,  as  God  is  my  witness." 

' '  She  is  your  affianced  wife  ?  " 

"  She  was." 

' '  Who  broke  the  engagement  \  " 

"  She  did." 

"When?" 

' l  Shortly  after  the  massacre.  Why,  she  never 
told  me." 

"  Have  you  a  suspicion  ?  " 

"  I  believe  her  mother  lies  at  the  bottom  of  it. 
She  is  a  cold,  haughty  woman,  and  from  my  first  ac 
quaintance  with  the  family  has  made  me  feel  a  want 
of  cordiality  on  her  part,  which  has  apparently  deep 
ened  almost  into  dislike.  Her  unladylike  treatment  oij 
and  objections  to  me,  I  can  not  understand.  Before 
addressing  Annette,  I  obtained  her  father's  sanction 
and  consent.  I  believe  in  her  affection — that  it  is  in 
alienably  mine." 

' '  Ah,  Robert,  you  do  not  know  her  mother.  Be 
lieve  me,  she  is  the  cause  of  your  misunderstanding 
with  Annette,  but  not  in  the  way  you  think,  and  if 
you  could  know  all,  you  would  love  the  poor  girl  none 
the  less.  It  is  a  mysterious  barrier — mysterious  to 
you,  but  clear  as  noonday  to  me,  who,  knowing  her 
well,  can  guess  her  secret" 


RESTORATION.  359 

"  Yet  the  barrier  seems  eternal.  No  word  gave 
me  any  hope  of  its  removal." 

"  That  depends  upon  you,  strange  as  it  may  seem. 
The  hour  will  come  when  you  shall  have  to  decide 
if  the  barrier  shall  be  eternal." 

"  You  know  what  it  is,  and  that  it  rests  with  me 
to  remove  it,  and  yet  do  not  enlighten  me.  Miannetta, 
is  this  kind  ?  " 

"Robert,  I  dare  not  take  the  responsibility. 
Wait  !  Farther  than  to  express  my  belief  that  the 
clouds  will  ultimately  disappear,  I  have  no  words  to 
comfort  you." 

"I  am  so  little  used  to  comfort,  perhaps  it  is  as 
well  to  administer  it  sparingly,"  he  said,  smiling  sadly. 
"My  heart  is  sore  for  all  the  sorrow  that  has  been 
laid  upon  it.  Life  became  suddenly  a  Aveary  blank. 
For  awhile  I  lost  all  interest,  even  in  my  military  du 
ties.  I  was  callous  to  fear,  for  what  physical  suffer 
ing  could  be  more  poignant  than  the  grief  that  was 
consuming  me  !  I  was  reckless  of  danger  ;  what  was 
there  in  life  that  made  it  worth  preserving  ?  It  is  all 
a  dream,  the  scenes  I  passed  through,  the  battles,  the 
charge,  the  carnage.  Once,  I  remember,  I  saw  a  face 
— that  of  a  dead  drummer-boy — as  we  charged  a  re 
doubt — fair  and  slight,  with  a  mass  of  hair  like  Nel 
lie's,  but  dappled  with  blood.  The  thought  pierced 
me,  '  So  Nellie  may  have  lain.'  I  recall  our  expos 
ure  now,  but  it  was  not  terrible  to  me  then.  I  was 
still  in  my  dream.  I  felt  that  in  all  the  world  I  had 
no  one  left  to  sorrow  if  I  fell,  to  rejoice  if  I  survived. 
I  went  on  with  others  less  desperate,  but  more  nobly 
courageous.  A  color-bearer  fell  where  four  others  lay 


360  MAPLE   RANGE. 

dead.  I  caught  the  quivering  staff  from  his  hand, 
and  firmly  planted  it  where  he  had  intended  to,  and 
still  my  dream  went  on  in  a  whirling,  melancholy 
maze,  A  ball  struck  my  right  arm  and  the  pain 
brought  me  to  a  realizing  sense  of  my  position,  the 
only  upright  man  on  the  parapet  which  that  flag  now 
proclaimed  as  ours.  To-day  that  banner  hangs  in 
the  State  House,  a  tattered  memento  of  tremendous 
slaughter. " 

"And  that  banner  cost  you  your  right  arm?1' 
said  Miannetta. 

"Amputation  seemed  unavoidable  and  barely 
saved  my  life.  Since  the  20th  of  last  May  my  coat- 
sleeve  has  been  useless  except  to  better  set  off  the 
epaulet  that  since  then  has  decorated  my  shoulder." 

"  I  noticed  with  what  care  you  avoided  a  disclos 
ure  to  poor  Nellie  of  the  false  arm;  but  of  your 
wound,  was  it  long  in  healing  ?  " 

"  On  the  contrary,  it  healed  too  soon.  I  came 
home  immediately.  My  health  made  service  impos 
sible  and  care  imperative.  Under  Mrs.  McDougal's 
nursing  I  got  well  rapidly,  and  thinking  myself  suffi 
ciently  strong,  I  went  back  to  the  field  of  action  again 
the  last  of  June,  in  time  for  the  surrender  of  that 
Rebel  Sebastopol,  Vicksburg  But  the  exposure  and 
exertion,  together  with  the  warm  weather,  proved  too 
much  for  my  strength,  which  I  had  believed  greater, 
and  the  wound  broke  out  again,  resulting  in  a  fever 
which  lasted  only  a  few  days,  but  was  very  severe. 
They  brought  me  home  when  I  was  too  ill  to  know 
it,  and  again  Mr.  and  Mrs.  McDougal  nursed  me 
back  to  life,  which  to-night  begins  to  seem  more 


RESTORATION.  361 

worth  having.  Miannetta,  'my  more  than  friend,  how 
shall  I  ever  liquidate  my  obligations  to  you  for  bring 
ing  Nellie  back  to  my  desolate  home  ?  " 

She  whispered  something  in  his  ear.  It  must 
have  been  something  agreeable,  for  he  looked  into 
her  face  with  sudden  animation  and  surprise,  and  a 
new  hope,  that,  somehow  through  her,  the  mystery 
that  enveloped  his  love  would  unfold,  cheered  his  sad 
heart. 

That  night,  when  he  besought  God's  favor,  it 
was  not  without  hope  he  pronounced  the  names  of 
Nellie  and  Annette. 

Early  rising  was  the  rule  at  The  Maples.  At  six 
o'clock,  Nellie,  attired  in  snowy  lawn,  entered  the 
breakfast  room,  where  Robert  and  Miannetta  were 
waiting  for  her.  Coming  forward,  she  reached  out 
both  hands  to  take  her  brother's,  as  of  old.  He  ad 
vanced  to  meet  her,  and  took  her  left  hand,  swinging 
her  round  somewhat  suddenly,  but  successfully 
averting  for  that  time  her  notice  of  his  lifeless  arm. 
Then  leading  her  to  the  breakfast  table,  he  said  : 

' '  You  and  I  must  preside  this  morning,  with 
Miannetta  for  our  guest." 

Nellie  bowed  very  gravely  and  began  to  pour  the 
coffee,  playfully  laying  great  stress  upon  her  import 
ance  and  dignity,  yet  with  all  her  playfulness  show 
ing  how  gracefully  she  might  fill  the  chair,  from 
which  her  mother  had  dispensed  her  noble  hospitality. 

Breakfast  over,  they  went  (Nellie  and  Robert) 
arm  in  arm  into  the  parlor  and  stood  by  the  window, 
Nellie  tapping  on  the  window-pane  and  singing, 

16 


362  MAPLE   RANGE. 

"  A  steed  came  at  morning;  no  rider  was  there, 
But  the  bridle  was  wet  with  the  sign  of  despair." 

A  gate  had  been  carelessly  left  open.  Old 
Deacon  had  walked  into  the  .yard,  round  the  house, 
and  right  to  the  window  where  they  stood — she  still 
wondering  why  her  mother  did  not  come.  With  a 
little  scream,  she  pointed  to  the  old  horse,  and  grasp 
ing  Robert's  arm,  exclaimed  : 

"  Something  must  have  happened,  Robbie !  Where 
can  mother  be  ?  " 

"  Come  with  me,  darling,  I  will  show  yon,"  he 
said,  and  led  her  out  to  the  graves  and  told  her  all. 
Her  grief  was  uncontrollable.  She  fell  upon  the 
graves,  kissing  the  earth  that  lay  upon  her  mother's 
breast,  and  calling  upon  her  piteously;  then  she  rose, 
only  to  fling  herself  again  upon  the  mound  that  hid 
them  from  her  view,  to  weep,  pray  and  mourn, 
calling  them  touchingly. 

After  a  time  she  grew  calm,  and  Robert,  lifting 
her  up,  led  her  away  to  their  mother's  room,  where 
for  hours  they  sat,  recalling  her  noble  words  and  acts. 
Then  after  another  visit  to  the  graves,  they  returned  to 
the  parlor.  Miannetta  brought  in  Mr  and  Mrs.  McDou- 
gal,  and  Nellie  was  made  acquainted  with  all  the  sad 
change  in  their  home — tho  new  faces  there.  Robert, 
who  noted  the  expression  of  her  face,  saw  that  she 
already  loved  these  people  who  had  been  so  considerate 
of  him.  Freddie  Palmer  was  almost  smothered 
with  her  caresses,  and  she  said,  in  a  voice  choked  with 
sobs  : 

"Don't  you  remember,  Robbie,   I  said  I  would 


RESTORATION.  363 

care  for  Ruth's  baby,  if  anything  ever  happened  to 
Ruth  herself?" 

"Yes,  sister;  and  I  believe  you  are  restored  in 
part  to  fulfill  that  promise.  But  great  duties  require 
a  proportionate  fortitude  and  self  denial.  You  must 
not  indulge  in  the  grief  that  will  shadow  his  young 
life.  We  have,  both  of  us,  grave  duties  to  perform, 
and  eminent  patterns  to  imitate,  and  must  be  careful 
that  we  may  not  fall  short  of  the  perfection  they 
wished  us  to  attain." 

"Let  us  help  one  another,  brother,  that  our  walk 
upon  the  earth  may  be  light  as  befitteth  the  children 
of  saints,  who  must  ever  watch  and  rejoice  over  our 
progress." 

So  life  was  taken  up  again  at  The  Maples — a  life, 
't  is  true,  with  a  painful  void,  for  the  death  angel  had 
been  unsparing,  but  there  was  yet  a  healthy  cheerful 
ness  pervading  it.  Robert  was  now  altogether  at 
home — his  health  utterly  forbidding  his  return  to  the 
army,  or  as  he  expressed  it,  his  "conscience  forbid 
ding  the  crippled  service  of  a  left-hand  sword." 


364  MAPLE   RANGE. 


CHAPTER    XVIII. 

HEART'S-EASE. 

f  I  iIME,  ever  on  the  wing,  has  brought  us  to  Autumn 
-L  again — that  of  1864.  Its  signs  are  unmistakable. 
The  trees  are  gorgeous  with  Autumnal  tints.  The  grass 
is  crisp  and  sere.  The  cricket's  chirp  is  shrill,  as  if 
the  early  frosts  had  so  disconcerted  the  piper's  throat, 
that  she  sings  perforce  in  the  wrong  key. 

Herbert  and  Phil  Ellis  are  busy  as  bees  and  more 
noisy,  gathering  cauliflowers  and  onions  into  heaps, 
and  loading  them  onto  their  diminutive  cart,  which 
holds  by  actual  count  five  large  heads  and  ten  small 
ones.  To  this  cart  is  hitched  the  mettlesome  little 
Besom,  a  manageable  creature,  between  whom  and 
the  boys  there  is  a  perfect  understanding.  He  stands 
gravely,  with  half-closed  eyes  save  when  roused  by 
some  louder  burst  of  boyish  glee,  when  he  pricks  up 
his  ears,  switches  his  long  tail,  and  straightening  him 
self  up  trim  and  firm,  communicates  by  champing 
bit  the  assurance  that  he  fully  enters  into  the  spirit 
of  his  loving  little  masters'  frolic. 

On  the  other  side  of  the  garden,  digging  potatoes, 
is  the  whole-souled  boy,  though  a  practical  joker, 
Tad  Wilson.  He  pauses  in  his  work,  now  and  then, 
to  deliver  himself  of  sundry  odd  speeches,  only  half 
understood  by  his  limited  audience,  but  received, 


HEART'S-EASE.  365 

nevertheless,  with  rounds  of  applause.  The  cheers 
and  laughter  strike  Mrs.  Ellis'  ears,  as  she  sews  by 
the  open  window,  and  she  smiles  affectionately  and 
says  to  herself,  "Bless  their  young,  joyous  hearts  !  " 

Captain  Ellis  smiles  while  he  works,  shingling  the 
new  barn,  and  wonders,  between  his  hammer  strokes, 
if  there  is  no  limit  to  boyish  nonsense. 

Tad  stoops  to  examine  his  work  close  and  longer 
than  usual,  and  then  calls  drolly  : 

"I  say,  Herbert,  did  you  ever  practice  much  in 
'Tithmeric  ?  " 

"Not  much  ;  but  I  know  the  tables,  and  have 
ciphered  as  far  as  Long  Division. " 

' '  Well,  I  never  ciphered  much  by  rule,  but  I  Ve 
just  now  did  a  neat  sum  in  Subtraction,  with  my  hoe 
— took  one  toe  from  ten  !  Look  'e  !  " 

"What  is  it,  Tad" 

Tad  held  up  one  of  his  great  toes  which  he  had 
mistaken  for  a  potato,  half  concealed  and  half  revealed 
as  it  was,  by  the  dirt  of  the  hill  in  which  he  was  dig 
ging.  He  had  struck  at  it  with  the  sharp  hoe,  and 
nearly  severed  it  from  his  foot,  and  with  his  usual 
impetuosity  and  fearlessness,  had  then  completed  the 
dismemberment  with  his  knife.  The  sight  of  the 
blood  and  pain  of  his  foot  sickened  him,  and  he  sat 
down,  while  Herbert  ran  for  his  mother  and  Phil  for 
his  father.  With  many  expressions  of  sympathy,  he 
was  carried  to  the  house,  where  the  wounded  member 
was  dressed  carefully  and  laid  on  a  pillow  in  a  chair 
in  front  of  him.  He,  regarding  it  with  a  comical 
face,  said  : 

"I'm  glad  it's  off!     It  was  always  bothering 


366  MAPLE   RANGE. 

me,  one  shape  or  'nother,  no  matter  what  I  went 
into." 

While  thus  putting  on  a  brave  face,  Gus  and  'Liz- 
beth  Harkness  drove  up  in  the  bright,  new  lumber 
wagon.  They  entered  the  house  unperceived,  and  in 
an  adjoining  room  overheard  Tad's  short,  comical 
speech,  at  the  close  of  which  they  came  forward, 
learned  the  nature  of  the  accident,  and  expressed 
their  sympathy.  'Lizbetb,  laughing,  said : 

"  Nobody  will  ever  tread  on  that  toe  again  !  will 
they,  Tad?" 

"Not  if  I  know  myself,"  was  the  reply. 

"Now,  Tad,"  said  Gus,  "you  just  go  in  for  a 
good  time.  Pass  yourself  round  while  you  're  sick. 
After  you  get  tired  staying  here,  let  the  boys  bring 
you  on  their  cart  to  our  house.  When  that  gets  to 
be  an  old  story,  I  will  harness  up  the  creams  and  take 
you  wherever  you  say.  Your  home  is  everywhere 
now.  I  am  glad  you  are  in  good  spirits,  for  I  have 
got  a  little  news  that  might  make  you  feel  bad,  but 
you  mustn't  let  it,  for  you  have  got  a  plenty  of 
friends,  and— 

"  What  is  the  news  ?  "  interrupted  the  eager  boy. 

"  Your  father  and  Johnny  have  re-enlisted  in  a 
veteran  regiment. " 

"What,  won't  pap  be  home  this  month  with  Mr. 
Porter  and  the  others  ?  "  said  Tad,  with  a  quavering 
voice. 

"No,  my  little  major ;  Mr.  Porter  arrived  at  The 
Maples  last  night,  and  is  there  yet.  I  came  from 
there  here.  Your  father  and  Johnny  sent  love  to  you 
and  some  money,  but  will  not  come  right  away. 


HEART'S  EASE.  367 

But  do  n't  take  it  to  heart  so,  Tad.     I  thought  you 
was  the  bravest  boy  in  all  the  world. " 

The  boy  that  could  cut  off  his  toe  and  laugh  over 
it,  was  sobbing  now.  Hope  deferred  had  made  his 
young  heart  sick.  No  word  of  compassion  could 
ease  the  bosom  that  ached  for  want  of  a  father's  ten 
der  presence.  Mr.  Ellis  took  him  up  and  laid  him  on 
the  bed  in  the  spare  bedroom,  and  closing  the  door 
softly,  thoughtfully  left  him  alone  with  his  disap 
pointment  and  his  tears.  Homeless  as  he  was,  yet  to 
every  house  in  the  neighborhood  he  was  welcome, 
whenever  and  as  long  as  he  chose  to  abide  there. 
Mrs.  Ellis  considered  him  a  member  of  her  family, 
alternating  with  uncle  Carce  Smith  and  the  Maynards 
in  giving  him  a  home.  Always  lending  the  help  of 
willing,  cheerful  hands  in  the  hurry  of  planting,  hoe 
ing  and  harvesting  at  either  place,  he  was  a  universal 
favorite  ;  manners  unpolished  and  rude  of  speech,  but 
heart  warm  and  true.  The  whole  neighborhood, 
young  and  old,  shared  his  sorrow  and  now  sympa 
thized  in  his  disappointment.  Cheerful,  ready  hands 
nursed  him. 

Capt.  Ellis,  with  a  few  of  the  original  volunteers, 
had  been  mustered  out  of  Federal  service  the  pre 
vious  May.  The  history  of  the  successes  of  the  army 
in  which  they  participated  since  we  last  saw  them  on 
the  gloomy  Rappalwnnock  is  so  familiar  to  the  reader 
that  a  repetition  would  be  superfluous.  Indeed,  it 
was  not  my  intention  to  follow  them  in  all  the  inci 
dents  of  the  war  in  which  they  participated. 

A  handful  of  men,  the  remnant  of  some  of  the 
regiments  that,  three  years  ago,  saw  the  Rebels  at 


368  MAPLE   RANGE. 

the  first  Bull  Run,  and  were  now  conquering  the  Reb 
els  in  the  Wilderness,  were  drawn  up  one  morning  to 
receive  their  discharge  papers.  They  had  stacked 
arms  for  the  last  time,  within  the  sound  of  and  not 
beyond  the  dangerous  missiles  of  the  deadly  conflict 
then  going  on.  Some  apprehension  had  been  feit  the 
night  before,  that  now  their  time  was  out  they  would 
not  be  allowed  to  go.  At  all  events,  the  commanding 
general  seemed  determined  they  should  work  to  the 
last.  They  had  been  under  steady  fire  for  many 
hours,  and  at  last,  in  the  evening,  had  been  ordered 
to  take  respite  in  a  trench,  after  an  exhaustive  and 
long  continued  struggle.  They  lay  with  their  faces 
on  their  arms,  without  exchanging  a  word,  but  the 
half-suppressed  sighs  that  would  escape  in  spite  of 
all  effort,  along  the  prostrate  line,  spoke,  more  than 
words  could  do,  the  hopelessness  of  the  hour. 

Suddenly  a  shell  went  screaming  over  them  and 
struck  the  bank  just  above  them,  covering  them  with 
fragments  of  earth,  announcing  the  frightful  truth, 
that  they  were  exposed  to  an  enfilading  fire,  even 
while  at  rest.  Still  as  they  lay,  speechless,  what 
throbbing  life  was  in  that  trench.  If  those  guns 
should  be  lowered  a  trifle,  what  a  furrow  of  death 
they  would  plow.  Capt.  Ellis  spoke  once  : 

"Keep  up  your  hearts,  boys.  Unless  those 
muzzles  are  put  down,  we  shall  be  able  to  stand  it." 

"  Arrah,  yer  honor,  it's  very  aisy  to  say  so,  but 
thry  it  awhile.  It 's  not  aisy,  at  all,  at  all,  to  stand 
on  yer  belly  when  even  the  shmell  of  whishky  is  all 
gone  from  yer  canteen,  an'  sin'  daylight  not  a  one  of 
us  has  tipped  the  wink  across  the  mess.  The  gin- 


HEART'S-EASE.  369 

cral  has  no  right  to  hould  us  in  sich  exthremity, 
jist  the  last  minit  of  our  sarvice,  begorra,"  grumbled 
Mike,  without  raising  his  head. 

o 

"  Hush  up,  Mike,  or  the  Rebs  will  get  better 
range,  and  there  will  be  corpses  in  this  grave  with 
never  a  b'iled  shirt  on,"  said  a  dashing  young  corpo 
ral,  in  a  sonorous  whisper. 

"  Och,  bye,  yer  always  thinkin'  o'  the  decorations. 
Ye  'd  feel  warse  about  the  shot  that  peeled  them 
sthripes  off  ye  than  the  cannon  charge  that  sint  ye 
with  niver  a  confession  to  judgment.  Sure  now,  a 
good  soldier  is  willing  to  die  naked,  an'  he  can  be 
covered  wid  glory. " 

That  poetic  jest  Avas  Mike's  last. 

Just  then  a  bomb,  heralded  by  a  deep  hoarse  cry, 
swung  in  its  airy  orbit,  and  coming  swiftly  down, 
plunged  into  that  trench.  Through  that  earthquake 
shock,  Mike  had  passed  to  immortality.  Those 
momentary  lights,  the  wide-spreading  glare  of  fear 
ful  discharges,  flung  back,  as  they  were,  by  thousands 
of  burnished  gun-stocks,  and  the  little  pools  of  water 
here  and  there,  revealed  an  awful  sight.  Dying  and 
slain  steeds  in  one  gory  tangle  of  trunk,  harness,  and 
half-severed  limbs;  officers  in  rich  uniforms,  and  pri 
vates  in  plain  coarse  blue,  side  by  side,  were,  evidence 
how  truly  death  obliterates  distinctions.  Men  with 
stretchers,  picking  their  way  through  the  horrible 
debris,  bear  their  bleeding  burdens  to  burial  or  lin 
gering  pain,  while  on  every  side  are  the  sharp  crack 
and  the  incessant  flash  of  musketry,  and  the  grim, 
dirt-stained  soldiery  that  press  on,  a  living  wall, 
toward  the  foe.  All  this  beneath  a  cloudless  Spring 
Y 


370  MAPLE   KANGE. 

sky,  bestrewed  with  glittering  stars,  and  the  May 
winds  breathing  cool  and  fragrant  through  the 
boughs  of  the  wilderness  wood,  that  are  green  and 
fresh  and  guileless^  as  if,  instead  of  these  grim  hor 
rors,  they  were  the  fairy  haunt  of  innocence  and  love. 
But  morning  came  at  last  to  the  sleepless  men  in  the 
trench — a  morning,  chill  and  comfortless  with  rain 
and  piercing  wind.  After  a  comfortless  breakfast, 
they  were  ordered  to  headquarters  and  there  received 
their  discharge.  Stiff  and  weary,  their  tread  was 
heavy  as  they  stepped  in  perfect  time  with  the  grand 
old  "  Hail  Columbia,"  as  they  marched  to  the  waiting 
train  that  was  to  bear  them — Hark  !  that  cheer  shall 
tell  you— "HOME." 

Surely  that  train  was  drawn  by  a  slow  locomotive, 
for  those  eager  men  have  made  the  journey  home 
over  and  over  again  in  fancy,  while  on  their  way. 

Once  again  the  train  stopped  at  a  beautiful  little 
town  in  Ohio.  Herbert  Gray  was  observed  to  ex 
change  a  significant  glance  with  Capt.  Ellis.  A  few 
moments  afterward  he  was  seen  on  the  platform  of 
the  depot,  deeply  engrossed  in  conversation  with  Wal 
ter  Meade,  the  long-missing  soldier.  When  again  the 
conductor  shouted,  "all  aboard,"  the  young  officer 
failed,  for  some  reason,  to  hear  it. 

One  by  one  the  lumbering  old  stage  dropped  its 
passengers,  pausing  a  moment,  and  then  again  its 
wheels  hummed  on  over  the  smooth  road.  Conversation 
since  nightfall  had  been  very  dull,  each  man  was  busy 
thinking,  and  his  thoughts  were  such  as  could  not  be 
expressed,  and,  perhaps,  would  not  be  interesting  to 
the  others.  Heavy  sighs  were  exchanged  as  they 


HEART'S-EASE.  371 

passed  the  ruins  of  Ben  Palmer's  house,  pleasant 
exclamations  as  they  passed  the  Maples,  and — 

"Wonder  who  lives  in  Jehial  Smith's  house,"  as 
they  drove  by  and  perceived  it  lighted  up. 

A  husky  "good  night,  comrades,"  had  been  re 
peated  at  the  door,  until  now,  at  last,  only  Gus  Hark- 
ness  and  Capt.  Ellis  are  left  of  the  seven  who  entered 
the  stage  two  days  since.  And  yet  the  silence 
remains  unbroken  ;  a  silence  full  of  dismal  fore 
bodings  for  one,  sweet,  beautiful  fancies  for  the  other, 
in  which  he  already  enfolds  in  manly  arms  the  blessed 
trio  awaiting  him  within  a  half  mile.  A  light 
twinkles  through  the  trees  from  the  window  of  his  new 
home,  built  on  the  site  of  the  old  one.  The  vehicle  stops, 
his  baggage  is  thrown  off,  and,  from  an  open  door,  two 
fine  boys  run  out,  shouting  his  welcome  home.  A 
short  embrace  must  answer  for  them  now,  for  in  the 
shadow  beside  the  gate,  a  bright  little  woman  awaits 
his  kiss,  with  speechless  lips,  but  a  heart  throbbing 
warmest  welcome.  With  his  arm  about  her  he  went 
up  the  door  steps,  entered  the  house,  forgetful  in  his 
great  happiness  of  his  lonely  fellow-passenger  and 
comrade,  who  was  now  recalled  to  him  by  a  sight  of 
that  comrade's  wife  coming  forward  to  greet  him. 

He  ran  out  quickly  to  call  Gus,  but  the  coach  was 
already  gone,  and  Gus  with  it. 

Much  regret  was  felt  for  this,  as  Ellis  termed  it, 
"unpardonable  forgetfulness  and  selfishness." 

' '  I  know  how  he  feels,  poor  fellow,  and  how  dis 
appointed  he  will  be  to  find  no  wife  awaiting  him. 
Why,  I  should  have  died,  to-night,  if  mine  had  not 
been  here,"  and  he  clasped  his  Kitty  in  his  arms,  and 


372  MAPLE   RANGE. 

kissed  her  again  and  again,  till  her  round,  full  face 
grew  still  rosier. 

'Lizbeth  replied  to  him  coldly: 

'  Well,  I  do  n't  see  how  a  man  can  expect  to  have 
a  wife  at  both  ends'  of  his  journey.  He  should  have 
brought  his  yellow  girl  and  her  child  along,  if  he  did 
not  fancy  being  alone." 

An  angry  crimson  mantled  her  cheek  as  she 
spoke,  and  she  fairly  trembled  as  with  palsy,  under 
the  astonished  gaze  of  Capt.  Ellis,  as  he  exclaimed  : 

"What  in  the  world  do  you  mean,  'Lizbeth  Hark- 
ness  ? " 

"Don't  call  me  by  that  name;  keep  it  for  her 
who  has  the  latest  claim,"  she  said,  spitefully. 

Mrs.  Ellis  here  interposed  an  explanation.  She 
had  long  known  a  coolness  existed  between  'Lizbeth 
and  Gus,  but  till  that  day  had  been  ignorant  of  its 
cause.  'Lizbeth  wished  to  remain  with  her  to  avoid 
meeting  her  husband,  who  she  rightly  supposed 
would  go  on  to  his  former  home. 

She  did  not  mean  to  see  him  till  armed  with  the 
proofs  of  his  guilt,  which,  strange  to  say,  she  had 
not  doubted.  All  this  Mrs.  Ellis  told  her  husband, 
while  'Lizbeth,  sinking  into  a  chair,  sobbed  bitterly; 
her  face  buried  in  the  folds  of  her  dress.  Capt.  Ellis 
listened  patiently;  and  then  said: 

"'Lizbeth,  pardon  me  if  I  seem  severe.  I 
mean  it  for  your  good.  You  have  made  yourself 
very  unhappy  by  crediting  the  story  of  a  man,  who 
not  only  disgraced  his  manhood,  but  sought  to 
involve  womanhood  as  well.  A  person  with  whom 
you  had  no  business  away  from  your  mother's  roof. 


HEART'S-EASE.  373 

You  have  not  only  made  yourself  miserable  without 
any  cause,  but  have  wounded  the  heart  that  was 
true  to  you  as  the  needle  to  the  pole.  Gus  has 
suffered  untold  agony  by  your  mysterious  silence  of 
two  years'  duration.  That  story  was  a  fabrication 
from  beginning  to  end,  and  you  woefully  sinned 
against  your  husband,  by  listening  to  it  for  an  instant. 
He  has  been  under  my  eye  almost  constantly  since  he 
enlisted,  and  I  do  not  believe  that  in  that  time  he  has 
had  a  thought,  or  a  word,  for  any  woman,  save  the  wife 
whom  he  loved  and  trusted,  as  few  men  love  and 
trust,  but  who  has  returned  his  confidence  with  cruel 
doubting  and  a  silence  that  has  grieved  his  noble 
heart  to  the  very  core." 

When  her  husband  began  to  speak,  Mrs.  Ellis,  with 
a  woman's  quick  instinct,  divined  what  he  would  say, 
and  knowing  how  it  would  end,  had  gone  out,  and 
putting  Tad  Wilson  onto  the  back  of  fleet-footed 
Besom,  she  told  him  to  "  overtake  the  stage  and  send 
Gus  Harkness  back." 

Entering  the  house,  she  delayed  the  supper,  that 
was  nearly  ready  when  Captain  Ellis  came,  in  as 
many  ways  as  possible.  'Lizbeth  sat  still  in  the  chair, 
weeping  and  reproaching  herself  for  the  wrongs  she 
could  now  see  she  had  been  guilty  of  against  her  faith 
ful  Gus.  Mrs.  Ellis  at  last  placed  the  pot  of  fragrant 
tea  upon  the  damask-covered  table,  with  its  tempting 
dishes.  Just  then  her  listening  ear  caught  the  ring 
of  a  firm,  military  step  upon  the  walk,  and  motioning 
to  her  husband,  he  followed  her  from  the  room.  "The 
opposite  door  opened,  and  they  caught  a  glimpse  of 
the  fine,  manly  face,  radiant  with  expectation — heard 


374:  MAPLE   RANGE. 

'Lizbeth's  cry  of  surprise,  ere  it  was  smothered  in  the 
great  black  whiskers  of  Gus  Harkness. 

Gus  never  questioned  his  wife  as  to  the  motive  of 
her  ride  with  Langmere  the  night  of  her  supposed 
capture  by  the  Indians.  There  was  a  vague  notion 
in  his  heart  that  she  had  accepted  Langmere's  invita 
tion  through  the  promptings  of  the  lingering  coquetry 
of  her  nature  ;  but  he  could  not  reproach  her  for 
that,  for  well  he  remembered  that  when  most  coquet 
tish  with  himself,  he  had  loved  her  the  most  madly. 

Langmere  was  the  villain  who  would  have  taken 
advantage  of  her  innocence  and  love  of  admiration, 

O  ' 

and  upon  Langmere  he  vented  the  bitter  reproaches 
of  a  man  who,  though  not  actually  dishonored,  had 
been  saved  from  it  only  by  the  merest  chance.  He 
had  no  pity,  no  forgiveness,  because  the  offender  was 
in  his  grave.  Often  times  when  madly  recollecting 
the  unfortunate  adventures  of  'Lizbeth  with  Lang- 
mere  in  the  woods,  he  would  say  to  her  : 

"Fool,  that  I  was,  when  I  fired  at  him  that  day. 
Ignorant  of  the  base  wrong  he  had  intended  towards 
you,  I  prayed  earnestly  that  my  gun  might  not  be 
loaded  with  the  fatal  bullet ;  but  now,  to  the  latest 
day  of  my  existence,  I  shall  never  cease  to  hope  that 
it  was  loaded  with  ball  and  my  bullet  killed  him.'1'' 

A  few  weeks  after  the  arrival  of  Captain  Ellis,  all 
theories  regarding  the  strange  failure  of  Herbert 
Gray  to  get  "  aboard  "  at  that  distant  Ohio  station,  in 
response  to  the  conductor's  call,  were  set  at  rest  by 
an  announcement,  contained  in  some  newspapers 
received  at  Clipnockum  post-office,  to  wit : 


HEARTHS-EASE.  375 

Married,  on  the  evening  of  June  15,  1864,  in ,  Ohio,  at 

the  residence  of  the  bride's  father,  Captain  Herbert  Gray,  late  of 
the  Federal  volunteer  service,  and  Miss  Alice  Meade," 

A  few  days  after  reading  this  notice,  the  neighbor 
hood  was  thrown  into  a  "positive  conniption,1' as 
'Lizbeth  said,  by  the  arrival,  in  an  elegant  carriage, 
of  Captain  Herbert  Gray  and  his  lovely  young  bride. 
The  happy  pair  were  hospitably  entertained  many 
days  at  Captain  Ellis'. 

It  was  interesting  to  hear  Herbert  and  his  sister 
compare  notes  of  their  individual  adventures  "by 
field  and  flood  ; "  to  listen  to  the  story  of  their  cap 
tivity  and  escape  from  enemies,  so  different,  and  in 
regions  so  remote  from  each  other  and  from  the 
peaceful  home  where  they  were  recounting  them. 
Those  adventures,  similar  in  more  ways  than  one,  were 
particularly  so  in  their  deliverance  from  peril  by  the 
friends  Providence  had  raised  up  from  among  the 
humble  and  despised  colored  races.  As  Mrs.  Ellis 
would  never  forget  how  Miannetta  had  been  chiefly 
instrumental  in  preventing  her  recapture,  neither 
would  Herbert  ever  forget  old  Whiting,  the  crazy 
boatman  of  the  James  river,  who  taught  him  how  to 
sing  for  his  dinner,  and  how  to  "trabble  de  hard, 
wat'ry  roads  ob  Jordan." 

Herbert  and  his  young  wife  settled  in  St.  P , 

where  the  former  entered  upon  the  professional  career 
for  which  he  had  fitted  himself  before  the  war,  and  to 
which  he  now  applied  himself  with  renewed  vigor. 
His  fidelity  to  justice  whenever  he  represented  a  client, 
was  almost  severe,  and  many  times  he  refused  to  de 
fend  a  case  which  he  believed  was  based  upon  ex- 


3T6  MAPLE   EANGE. 

tortion  and  wrong.  He  carried  this  peculiarity  to 
such  an  extent  that  in  a  few  months  he  established  a 
reputation  as  the  "poor  man's  lawyer."  Rich  men, 
as  well,  often  sought  his  office  when  business  of  grave 
importance  had  to  be  intrusted  to  legal  hands.  Mr. 
La  Moore,  who  had  failed  to  establish  his  claim  among 
the  sharp  Parisian  lawyers,  had  returned  to  St.  P— , 
and  placed  his  business  in  Herbert's  hands  ;  but  after 
each  consultation  grew  graver,  until  his  gravity  set 
tled  into  a  profound  melancholy.  His  two  eldest  chil 
dren  entered  joyfully  into  a  plan  he  proposed,  for  a 
change  of  scene — a  journey,  in  his  own  easy  family 
carriage,  into  the  northern  part  of  the  State,  accompa 
nied  only  by  them,  as  soon  as  the  weather  was  cool 
enough  to  make  traveling  agreeable. 

We  will  now  take  a  last  look  at  some  of  the  char 
acters  that  have  figured  more  or  less  conspicuously  in 
our  long  story,  ere  we  pass  to  more  interesting  details. 

The  gloom  that  has  hung  over  Maple  Range  since 
the  massacre,  is  gradually  clearing  off,  and  the  settle 
ment,  ere  another  Spring,  will  no  doubt  show  a  pro 
fusion  of  roses.  Uncle  Carce  and  grandma  Smith,  in- 
the  blossom  of  good  old  age,  "both  still  sixteen," 
occupy  the  cosy  block  house  "  across  the  lot,"  leading 
to  which  are  innumerable  well-worn  paths,  attesting 
the  popularity  of  the  dear  white-headed  pair.  Mr. 
Porter  boards  with  them.  He  Avears  the  appearance 
of  a  second  youth.  Sometimes  he  seems  rather  absent 
in  conversation,  and  pauses  as  though  listening  for 
the  curious  and  inapt  interruptions  of  his  deaf  spouse. 
Gus  Harkness  noticing  this  once  irreverently  said 
to  'Lizbeth  : 


HEART'S-EASE.  377 

' '  The  only  real  mercy  the  Indians  can  be  credited 
with  was  relieving  Mr.  Porter  from  the  batteries  of 
his  wife,  and  at  the  same  time  affording  her  an  oppor 
tunity  to  ascertain  to  a  certainty  the  fate  of  '  Saman- 
tha's  man.' ' 

Asa  Birdsell,  whose  farm  adjoins  that  of  uncle 
Carce,  and  with  his  family  escaped  the  notice  of  the 
Indians,  is  making  handsome  improvements  with  the 
money  he  has  saved  during  the  term  of  his  service  in 
the  war. 

Mr.  Ellis  has  the  finest,  most  commodious  build 
ings  ;  but  then,  his  wife's  good  taste  had  draughted 
the  plans,  and  who  should  know  better  than  a  farmer's 
wife,  in  what  consists  the  convenience  of  a  farm 
house  and  its  appurtenances  ? 

Mr.  Center  is  supposed  to  be  still  with  the  Indians. 
His  house  and  farm  are  taken  by  a  stranger,  with  a 
large  family  of  bright-looking  boys  and  girls. 

Gus  has  just  completed  his  house  in  the  Hollcw, 
and  taken  as  a  boarder  the  dashing  young  tradesman 
who  has  built  a  new  brick  store  opposite  the  old 
"  Watkins  stand,"  and  is  doing  a  smashing  business, 
"  they  say'1''  in  the  dry  goods  and  grocery  line. 

Reader,  are  you  thinking  of  the  possible  conquests 
in  store  for  our  impressible  friend,  'Lizbeth.  How 
ever,  as  she  is  now  under  the  guardianship  of  a  lov 
ing  and  forgiving  husband,  I  must  say  that  if  she 
outrages  his  feelings  again,  she  certainly  will  not  be 
worthy  of  our  regret,  though  we  shall  pity  Gus.  Mr. 
Cross,  with  his  physical  peculiarities  intensified  by 
the  death  of  his  sainted  Polly  Ann,  resides  with 
them,  in  a  state  of  painful  indecision  on  all  matters  of 

16* 


378  MAPLE   RANGE. 

moment,  as  he  can  not  know  just  "  her  sentiments," 
since  her  translation  to  the  other  world.  Paddy 
O'Shannon,  who  was  drafted,  was  wounded  at  Port 
Hudson,  one  burning  July  day,  and  died  in  the  hos 
pital  that  night.  His  wife  and  children  were  victims 
of  the  Indian  outrage.  His  log  hut  has  fallen  into 
ruin. 

A  handsome  new  school-house  is  nearly  finished  in 
the  Hollow,  and  the  schoolmaster,  who  is  "abroad," 
has  promised  to  occupy  the  evenings  of  the  coming 
Winter  term  profitably  to  old  and  young  with  lyce- 
ums,  grammar  and  spelling  schools.  Mr.  Button  is 
about  returning  from  the  East,  where,  with  his  family, 
he  has  been  the  last  three  years,  to  occupy  the  new 
parsonage  in  Clipnockum,  and  perform  the  duties  of 
his  sacred  office. 

Measures  are  on  foot  to  increase  the  gayety  of  the 
corning  Winter,  and  Pomp  (who,  with  Dinah,  has 
brought  up  at  last  in  Minnesota,  and  bought  the 
house  and  eighty  that  Jehial  Smith  used  to  own), 
in  consideration  of  a  written  promise  of  a  good  cow 
when  the  work  is  done,  has  agreed  positively  ' '  to 
rosin  the  bow  "  on  stated  occasions,  for  the  benefit  of 
lads  and  lassies  in  the  woods  and  Hollow. 

Lincoln's  proclamation  of  emancipation  made  a 
free  nigger  of  Pomp,  but  it  will  require  an  amend 
ment  of  the  constitution  and  his  heart  before  he  can 
be  a  man.  In  his  present  neighborhood,  the  cultiva 
tion  of  self-respect  will  be  greatly  facilitated,  and 
may,  let  us  hope,  lead  to  the  practice  of  virtue. 

Robert  and  Nellie  Maynard  are  still  at  The  Maples, 
quietly  enjoying  the  many  good  things  Providence 


HEART'S-EASE.  379 

and  a  productive  estate  of  three  hundred  improved 
acres  afford.  The  crops  have  been  abundant ;  the 
herd  sent  to  market  in  September  netted  a  comforta 
ble  sum.  A  part  of  the  elegant  front  just  being  fin 
ished  is  to  be  fitted  up  as  a  library,  and  some  large 
boxes  of  books  have  lately  arrived.  By  all  appear 
ances,  The  Maples  will  be  a  grand  place  to  spend 
the  Winter. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  McDougal  seem  to  be  necessary 
fixtures,  being  as  warmly  established  in  the  hearts  of 
Nellie  and  her  brother  as  they  are  firmly  in  their 
home.  Miannetta  also  seems  as  much  at  home  here 
as  she  did  in  the  little  village  on  the  shore  of  the 
Itasca. 


It  is  a  warm  November  day,  such  a  one  as  comes 
rarely  so  late  in  the  season.  The  noisy  blackbirds 
had  their  convention  a  month  ago,  and  left  en  masse 
for  Summer's  climes.  But  the  Winter  birds,  that 
sing  loudest  when  it  is  coldest, — the  blue  jays,  in 
dandy  tuft  and  feathers,  are  shrieking  and  flitting 
from  bough  to  bough  of  the  maple  trees  under  which 
Robert  and  Nellie  are  standing.  They  are  discussing, 
with  some  difference  of  taste,  the  painting  of  the 
plain,  heavy  cornice  of  the  new  front.  A  call  from 
the  gate  caused  them  to  look  around.  A  close  car 
riage  had,  unnoticed  by  them,  driven  up,  and  the 
driver  was  making  signals  for  assistance.  In  answer 
to  his  importunities,  Robert  ran  down  to  the  carriage, 
just  as  the  door  was  opened  and  the  form  of  a  man, 
covered  with  blood,  was  revealed  lying  on  the  floor, 
with  his  head  in  the  lap  of  a  weeping  lady  A  gen- 


380  MAPLE   RANGE. 

tleman  was  supporting  his  shoulders.  One  inquiring 
glance  at  the  white  face  and  Robert  recognized  the 
features  of  Mr.  Pierre  La  Moore.  In  an  instant  his 
eyes  had  met  the  surprised  look  of  Annette  and  Eu 
gene,  while  the  driver  explained  : 

u  Mr.  La  Moore  had  been  shot  in  the  breast  by  an 
Indian,  half  a  mile  from  here.  I  hurried  the  horses 
to  this,  the  nearest  house." 

The  explanation  had  accompanied  the  rapid  re 
moval  of  the  wounded  man  to  the  house.  They  laid 
him  on  a  sofa,  near  a  raised  window,  and  tried  to 
staunch  the  blood  that  flowed  in  bright  jets  whenever 
they  lifted  the  compress.  Robert  applied  camphor  to 
his  nostrils,  but  he  seemed  in  a  dead  swoon.  Sud 
denly  Nellie  said, 

"  I  will  call  Miannetta;  if  it  is  a  possible  thing, 
she  will  save  his  life." 

She  left  the  room  hurriedly,  and  in  response  to 
her  repeated  calls  Miannetta  opened  the  dining-room 
door  and  came  into  the  hall.  A  hurried  explanation 
was  given  of  the  arrival  of  strangers  with  a  wounded 
and  dying  man,  when  the  parlor  door  suddenly  opened 
and  the  young  lady  stranger  advanced  towards  them. 
Another  second  and  with  a  low  cry  she  was  folded  in 
the  arms  of  Miannetta,  while  Nellie  was  thrilled  by 
the  exclamations : 

"  My  mother  !  " 

"My  child!" 

A  moment  after  and  the  door  opened  again.  The 
young  gentleman,  advancing  with  a  bound,  was  in 
like  manner  embraced  by  Miannetta,  who  cried, 

"  My  boy,  my  own  Eugene  !  " 


HEART'S-EASE.  381 

While  he,  disengaging  her  arms,  cried, 

"Mother,  mother,  come  quickly.  You  can  save 
him." 

Hastily  they  all  entered  the  parlor.  Silently  Mi- 
annetta  glided  to  the  couch,  and  gracefully  she  bent 
over  La  Moore.  She  kissed  his  marble  brow,  while 
she  laid  her  finger  on  the  wound  and  stopped  the  flow 
of  the  life-stream.  With  lips  glued  to  his  forehead, 
and  drops  of  perspiration  on  her  own  that  told  her 
suffering,  she  seemed  the  silent  impersonation  of  love. 
The  man's  lips  moved  at  last  and  with  difficulty  he 
articulated,  while  feebly  his  arms  drew  her  down  to 
him. 

"  Miannetta,  your  kiss  would  almost  bring  me 
back  to  life — if  I  were  dead — but  it  comes  too  late — 
save  to  make  my  exit  more  blessed.  Forgive  me,  my 
wronged — my  only  wife.  Kiss  me  again  if  you  for 
give — in  God's  name  forgive." 

The  impressions  of  her  lips  were  rapid  and  im 
passioned,  but  not  life-giving.  His  clasp  about  her 
neck  was  relaxed.  The  change  settled  upon  his 
features  which  we  all  instinctively  recognize,  and  his 
disembodied  spirit  stood  before  the  "Judge  of  the 
quick  and  the  dead." 

Then  falling  upon  his  motionless  form,  Miannetta 
uttered  a  wild  cry.  The  cry  was  in  the  Iroquois  tongue, 
and  was  followed  by  a  shriek  of  agony  so  piercing, 
it  made  the  hearts  round  her  thrill.  In  compassion 
for  her,  they  all  left  the  room,  and  she  was  alone 
with  her  dead.  After  awhile,  her  children  went  back 
and  knelt  with  her  beside  their  father's  still  form. 


382  MAPLE   RANGE. 

What  words  they  spoke,  what  tears  they  shed  in  this 
their  hour  of  union,  the  imagination  must  supply. 

An  hour  afterward,  with  a  step  stayed  by  the 
solemnity  of  the  occasion,  and  yet  wUh  face  radiant 
as  with  a  new  revelation,  Robert  entered  the  room. 
Gently  raising  Annette  from  her  kneeling  posture,  he 
said  : 

"  Pardon  me  for  asking  you  the  question  at  this 
painful  hour,  but  is  there  still  a  reason  why  I  may 
never  call  you  my  wife  ?  " 

"Yes;  it  still  exists.  My  mother's  people  murdered 
your  parents. " 

"  Ah,  Annette  !  Your  mother  is  my  truest,  noblest 
friend.  Will  you  not  permit  me  to  assume  to  her  a 
nearer  relation  ?  "  he  said,  pleadingly. 

"  Can  you,  Robert ;  knowing  all  ?  " 

For  only  answer,  he  laid  her  head  upon  his  breast 
and  drew  her  form  to  his  heart,  saying  : 

" Miannetta,  mother,  give  us  your  blessing!  " 

The  weeping  woman  rose,  and  placing  Annette's 
hand  in  Robert's,  pronounced  her  blessing  with  falter 
ing  voice,  and  again  knelt  beside  her  husband's  form. 

Mr.  La  Moore  was  quietly  buried  near  Mr.  May- 
nard,  and  by  his  side  Miannetta  marked  the  spot 
nvhere  she  too  wished  to  be  laid, 

"  When  no  more  on  life's  rough  billow — 

All  the  storms  of  sorrow  fled — 
Death  has  found  a  quiet  pillow, 

For  the  faithful  Christian's  head  " 


MIANNETTA'S  STORY.  383 


CHAPTER  XIX. 
MIANNETTA'S    STORY. 

Her  smiles  are  with  man — her  tears  are  with  God. 
Her  heart  may  break,  and  who  shall  know  tt  ? 

— GRACE  AGUILLAB. 

THE  forests  of  Canada  have  dropped  their  russet 
foliage  full  many  an  Autumn  time,  since  by 
the  red  light  of  their  hospitable  fires,  the  dusky  rulers 
of  the  Iroquois  nation  smoked  the  peaceful  calumet 
with  the  simple-hearted  Frenchman  whose  name  and 
memory  are  revered  among  their  rapidly  diminishing 
numbers.  Marquette,  with  soul  aglow  with  religious 
fervor,  wept  with  them  when  the  missionaries  recited 
the  old,  new  story  of  Redeeming  sacrifice  ;  bent,  with 
king  and  sachem,  an  humble  knee  before  the  emblem 
of  Infinite  suffering  and  Love,  as  the  cross  was  reared 
in  the  wigwam,  and  untaught  hearts  acknowledged 
Him,  whose  revealing  is  not  alone  to  the  learned. 
Adown  the  flowing  tide  of  generations  dropped  the 
religion  and  sceptre  of  those  forest  kings,  to  Sam-o- 
so-nois — a  religion  as  pure  and  sceptre  as  gracious  as 
the  heart  of  the  monarch  was  gentle  and  great.  His 
queen,  Ros-qui-nah,  was  of  the  ancient  line  that  min 
istered  to  the  Sacred  Flame,  an  old  and  singular  Indian 
rite.  At  a  set  time  every  year,  I  think,  in  November, 
when  the  nights  were  not  moonlighted,  a  flame  was  kept 


384  MAPLE   RANGE. 

burning — a  flame  of  thanksgiving  for  the  perpetuity  of 
brotherly  love,  harmonious  council,  successful  hunt 
and  bounteous  harvest.  Some  authorities  insist  that 
this  flame  was  perpetual. 

Sam-o-so-nois  and  Ros-qui-nah  were  blessed  with 
one  child,  a  daughter,  the  "  star-eyed  "  and  bird-voiced 
Lucille.  She  sang  wild  notes  in  the-  lodge,  or  by 
some  murmuring  stream,  warbling  in  unison  with 
songsters  of  the  air  that  hovered  around  her  feet,  as 

o  ' 

fearless  of  her  as  of  their  mates. 

One  day,  a  scholarly  adventurer,  a  young  French 
gentleman  of  fortune  was  attracted  by  her  wonderful 
voice ;  heard,  saw  and  loved.  It  was  the  old  story. 
He  appropriated  the  sibyl,  and  her  song,  which  in  La 
Belle  France  softened  by  rarest  culture,  became 
irresistible,  filling  his  stately  home  with  its  melody. 

The  marriage  proved  most  harmonious,  and  one 
lovely  child  cemented  this  union.  In  her  rich  com 
plexion,  her  raven  hair  and  eyes,  her  clear-cut  features, 
eloquently  reflecting  a  noble  soul  ;  in  her  form,  exquis 
itely  proportioned,  she  resembled  her  mother.  The 
waving  ripples  on  her  hair,  the  mirthful  flash  of  her 
eyes,  the  noble  poise  of  her  head  and  the  high  bred 
grace  of  her  manner,  bespoke  the  gentle  French  blood 
of  her  father. 

Monsieur  Montfort  regarded  his  Indian  wife  and 
her  child  with  a  pure,  doting  worship,  and  their  will 
was  the  lever  of  all  his  actions.  While  she  was  still 
a  child,  Miannetta  was  made  to  understand  that  only 
at  her  father's  death  could  she  administer  the  estates 
in  France  ;  that  she  would  inherit  without  question 
her  father's  fortune.  She  was  petted  and  humored  by 


MIANNETTA'S  STORY.  385 

both  father  and  mother,  who  smiled  at  her  childish 
caprices,  and  regarded  with  too  much  veneration  by 
nurse  and  governess  to  ever  receive  a  reprimand. 
What  wonder,  then,  that  the  little  Miannetta  became 
slightly  imperious  ? 

When  she  was  ten  years  old  she  expressed  a 
strange  desire  to  visit  the  woods  of  Canada  where 
her  mother  was  born,  and,  forthwith,  that  desire  was 
gratified.  Henceforth  she  was  a  bird  of  frequent 
passage  between  Canada  and  France,  accompanied  by 
her  parents,  but  plainly  their  mistress.  For  their 
residence  this  side  the  ocean,  a  suitable  mansion  was 
purchased  with  Indian  treasure,  Madam  Montfort's 
while  living  and  Miannetta's  in  the  event  of  her 
death.  But  this  property,  like  the  property  in 
France,  was  so  tied  up  by  technicalities  of  entail,  that 
only  Miannetta,  or  her  heirs,  when  they  reached 
their  majority  could  establish  a  claim  to  it. 

It  was  M.  Montfort's  ambition  that  his  daughter 
should  excel  in  scholarship  as  well  as  in  all  feminine 
accomplishments,  and  of  masters  he  provided  for  her 
the  best.  He  was  doomed  to  disappointment.  All 
the  Indian  in  her  nature  rebelled  against  the  restraint 
of  books,  and,  beyond  the  common  branches,  she 
was,  measured  by  her  father's  standard,  lamentably 
ignorant.  A  child  of  nature,  eager  to  read  nature's 
books,  and  loving  best  the  haunts  where  her  favorite 
author  had  been  least  disturbed,  music  was  the 
only  accomplishment  not  contemned — music  was  her 
passion,  and  she  possessed  the  same  marvelous  voice, 
which  in  her  mother  had  so  captivated  her  gentle- 
hearted  sire. 

Z          17 


386  MAPLE   RANGE. 

When  on  the  threshold  of  womanhood,  she  became 
acquainted  with  M.  La  Moore,  whose  proud  family 
name,  old  as  her  own,  was  his  only  inheritance.  To 
his  protestations  of  undying  regard  her  heart  beat 
reciprocally.  When  her  father  cautioned  her  against 
a  "possible  interest  in  the  fortuneless  and  rather  pro 
fligate  young  La  Moore,"  she  declared  passionately 
she  "loved  him  better  than  life — had  already  ex 
changed  with  him  vows  of  betrothal,  and  that  posi 
tively  she  would  wed  no  other. " 

In  this,  as  in  all  things  else,  her  will  finally 
triumphed,  and  the  doting  father  had  only  to 
acquiesce  with  what  grace  he  could.  He  soothed  his 
ambition  for  his  only  child  somewhat,  however,  by 
bestowing  on  La  Moore  a  gift,  a  sum  sufficient  to 
satisfy  his  fatherly  pride,  ere  he  consented  to  the 
young  man's  demand  for  his  daughter  in  marriage. 

M.  La  Moore  had  been  more  mercenary  than  lov 
ing  in  seeking  the  alliance  with  this  heiress  of  a  m-'  le 
house  and  race.  He  expected  important  social  ad 
vancement  as  a  result,  whereas,  at  that  time  he  held 
an  obscure  government  position  in  Ottawa.  There 
he  took  Miannetta,  who  loved  him  for  himself  alone. 

A  wife  of  seventeen  can  not  easily  leave  father 
and  mother,  and  they  can  not  easily  part  with  an  only 
and  adored  child.  It  was  arranged  that  M.  Mont- 
fort  and  his  wife  should  accompany  the  handsome 
young  couple  to  Ottawa,  where  a  residence  was  pur 
chased  that  accorded  with  the  elegant  taste  and 
generous  purse  of  the  old  gentleman.  They  lived 
to  hold  the  first  born  of  that  marriage  in  their  arms 
— the  grandfather's  namesake,  the  passionate,  but  lov- 


MIANNETTA'S  STORY.  387 

able  little  Eugene.  When  the  child  was  a  year  and  a 
half  old,  Madam  Montfort  died.  Lonely  and  sad  her 
husband's  days  dragged  on,  till  a  little  pearl  fluttered 
down  from  the  skies  into  the  arms  of  Miannetta,  and 
he  said,  smiling, 

"She  is  a  messenger.  I  must  go  to  my  Lucille. 
I  long  to  hear  her  sing." 

The  baby's  escort,  when  it  returned  heavenward, 
bore  his  spirit  to  its  seat  among  the  ransomed. 

Scarcely  had  he  grown  cold  in  death,  when  Pierre 
La  Moore  instituted  measures  to  secure  a  handsome 
share  of  his  possessions.  He  was  unlike  M.  Mont  fort 
in  every  respect,  but  while  her  father  lived,  Miannetta 
had  only  casual  glimpses  of  his  real  character,  which 
he  found  it  wise  to  conceal,  lest  the  wary  old  man 
should  take  alarm  and  place  her  property  beyond  his 
reach.  Miannetta  inherited  Indian  titles  to  some  Cana 
da  lands,  and  these  with  much  other  property  she  will 
ingly  made  over  to  him.  She  had  solemnly  promised 
her  father  (who  understood  her  husband  better  than 
she  did,  and  provided  against  his  exactions)  never  to 
give  to  anyone  the  power  of  attorney,  but  to  hold  in 
her  own  hands  the  management  of  the  French  estates 
and  the  Montreal  property.  These,  he  had  told  her, 
must  be  held  for  her  children.  Now  that  he  was 
dead  his  wish  to  her  was  law,  and  La  Moore  became 
cool,  and  even  unkind,  as  she  persisted  in  this  deter 
mination.  He  was  a  handsome,  haughty  man,  laying 
great  stress  upon  the  conventionalities  of  society, 
but  careless  of  the  small  courtesies  that  spring  from 
the  heart.  He  was  never  guilty  of  neglecting  the 
gentlemanly  greeting  and  suave  inquiry  as  to  his 


. 


388  MAPLE    RANGE. 

wife's  health  and  happiness,  yet  he  would  utterly 
and  designedly  neglect  to  furnish  the  means  to  se 
cure  these  blessings  to  her. 

This  proved  a  sad  trial  to  the  temper  of  the 
high-spirited  woman,  who  in  all  her  life  had  scarcely 
known  rebuke — an  angry  one,  never.  Now,  when 
the  man  who  had  vowed  to  love,  honor,  and  cherish 
her,  not  only  rebuked  sternly,  but  even  sneered  at 
her  relations  and  her  rese  mblance  to  them,  she  grew 
wild  with  indignation,  and  gave  him  taunt  for  taunt. 
But  when  her  passion  cooled,  she  was  filled  with  sor 
row  and  contrition,  and  besought  his  forgiveness, 
as  if  she  had  been  the  sole  offender.  Her  will  was 
broken  at  last,  and  the  imperious  head  bent  before  its 
master.  Without  reserve  she  gave  up  all  her  titles. 

This  very  self-abnegation  and  humility  inspired 
his  scorn.  Forgetting  his  French  manners,  he  hurled 
her  antecedents  in  her  teeth,  and,  with  the  titles 
safe  in  his  hands,  pierced  her  heart  with  words  that 
rankled  like  poisoned  barbs.  Upon  the  head  bowed 
so  lowly,  he  placed  a  cruel,  crushing  heel — was  she  not 
his  wife,  and  an  Indian  ? 

He  made  a  trip  to  Montreal  with  the  avowed 
intention  of  selling  M.  Montfort's  family  mansion  ; 
and  when,  upon  his  return,  she  asked  him  what  he  pro 
posed  doing  with  the  proceeds,  he  answered  mock 
ingly  : 

"I  thought  I  would  buy  blankets  and  fit  oat  an 
Indian  expedition  to  the  moon.  You  told  me  you 
were  pining  for  a  change  of  scene." 

This  was  the  only  allusion  she  ever  made  to  the 
sum  she  supposed  he  had  realized  from  the  sale  of  the 


MIANNETTA'S  STORY.  389 

old  home  where  she  had  been  so  happy.  She  was  too 
proud  to  brave  another  rejoinder.  He,  too  haughty 
to  ask  for  the  power  of  attorney,  without  which  he 
could  not  effect  the  sale,  and  the  matter  was  dropped. 
Sometimes  she  would  take  a  long  ride  with  her  three 
little  children  and  their  nurse,  in  the  old  Montfort 
family  coach,  away  through  the  green  country  to  an  Iro- 
quois  village.  The  two  eldest  would  never  forget  the 
unutterable  delight  ot  those  days  of  unrestrained 
freedom.  These  memories  were  clouded  often  by  the 
displeasure  of  La  Moore,  when  he  learned  of  these 
visits,  still  he  never  forbade  them  until  after  the 
birth  of  their  fourth  child  ;  and  the  periods  of  his 
long  absences  were  now  dull  enough  to  Miannetta 
One  day  she  went  into  the  nursery  to  find  comfort 
in  the  companionship  of  her  children.  She  took  little 
Pierre,  the  baby,  on  her  knee.  He  was  the  picture 
of  his  father,  and  it  was  half  for  his  father's  sake 
she  applied  tender  adjectives  to  his  name,  as  she 
pressed  him  to  her  heart.  She  fell  into  loving  muse 
while  singing  him  to  sleep,  recalling  the  time  when  her 
husband  was  not  so  cold,  when  he  was  pleased  to  call 
her  "  his  warbler;"  to  sit  beside  her  long  evenings, 
listening  to  and  complimenting  her  music.  Long, 
she  sat  thinking  over  the  past,  recalling  her  beloved 
parents  and  her  early  wedded  happiness.  She  seemed 
unconscious  that  Pierre  had  awakened,  and  with  happy 
little  Josie,  was  pulling  down  her  long  black  hair  till 
it  lay  in  coils  upon  her  shoulders.  She  was  buried  in 
the  past. 

Her  cheek  was  flushed  with  her  recent  abstraction, 
her  hair  was  all  disordered  by  her  children's  playful- 


390  MAPLE   RANGE. 

ness  ;  her  eyes  had  a  moisture  that  yet  was  not  tears, 
when  the  door  opened  and  her  husband  stood  before 
her.  With  a  joyous  cry,  her  baby  still  in  her  arms, 
she  sprang  toward  him,  but  there  was  no  love  in  his 
glance  to  invite  her  tenderness,  no  response  to  the 
gladness  of  her  voice.  Seeking  to  hide  her  own  em 
barrassment,  she  held  up  the  child,  gaily  saying  : 

"  See  what  a  rich,  rich  man  is  Pierre.  He  has 
achieved  a  whole  tooth  in  papa's  absence. " 

He  pushed  his  boy  away  and  coldly  said, 

"  Such  nonsense  is  unworthy  a  woman,  at  least,  a 
woman  of  your  age,  Miannetta.  Your  manner  of 
spending  your  time  will  scarcely  impress  your  chil 
dren  with  your  dignity,  to  say  nothing  of  their  im 
provement.  Come,  attend  to  your  toilet ;  I  have  a 
matter  to  communicate  that  is  full  of  importance  to 
us  all." 

Dinner  was  partaken  of  in  silence.  She  felt  too 
heavy  hearted  to  risk  his  displeasure  by  opening  a 
conversation,  and  he  was  too  much  absorbed  in  his 
newspaper  between  the  courses  to  make  any  remark. 
After  dessert  he  sat  long  over  his  Avine,  forgetful  of 
the  wife  who  awaited  his  presence  in  the  drawing- 
room,  dreading  something,  she  knew  not  what.  At 
last  he  joined  her  and  sat  long  in  silence,  smoking  a 
cigar.  She  rose  to  ring  for  coffee,  and  he  said, 

"Sit  down,  Miannetta,  and  hear  me.  I  have 
brought  to  Ottawa  a  very  superior  young  lady, 
whom  I  have  met  several  times  in  New  York.  She  is 
a  lady  and  will  be  just  the  person  for  our  children 
and  yourself  to  look  up  to.  Of  course  I  shall 
reward  her  for  spending  her  time  here  and  lending  a 


MIANNETTA'S  STORY.  391 

little  polish  to  our  atmosphere,  which  I  notice  is  get 
ting  strongly  odorous  of  the  woods.  We  need  some 
civilization.  But  look  you,  Miannetta,  no  servile 
duties  are  to  be  required  of  Marian  Ramsdell.  She  is 
to  be  in  every  respect,  one  of  us." 

That  night  she  found  among  his  treasures  the  pic 
ture  of  a  young  girl  with  fair  hair,  blue  eyes  and 
clear,  beautiful  complexion,  such  a  face  as  she  had 
ever  admired,  and  contrasting  it  with  her  own  dark, 
heavy  beauty,  she  did  not  wonder  that  her  husband 
had  been  attracted  by  it. 

"But  oh,  could  he  not  have  admired  this  woman 
and  still  loved  me  ?  Now  I  know  the  meaning  of 
those  cruel  words  he  spoke  to-day:  'A  woman  of 
your  age  !  '  Am  I  growing  old  ?  Is  it  age  that  trem 
bles  in  my  limbs  to-night  and  makes  my  weight  almost 
insupportable  ?  " 

Next  day  he  brought  home  the  original  of  the 
picture.  His  eyes  ever  followed  admiringly  her 
graceful  form.  Miannetta  saw  the  silent  worship 
with  which  she  was  regarded,  and  resigned  herself  to 
a  secondary  place  in  her  husband's  heart  and  the  home 
her  father  had  provided  for  her.  It  was  evident  from 
the  first  she  meant  to  entirely  subdue  Miannetta's 
spirit,  to  be  her  mistress,  and  the  helpless  woman,  for 
her  children's  sake,  submitted  to  it  with  aching  heart. 

Her  eldest  boy,  Eugene,  rebelled  against  the  new 
"tyrant,"  as  he  called  her,  for  she  sought  to  subjugate 
children  as  well  as  mother. 

Mr.  La  Moore  had  never  undertaken  the  govern 
ment  of  his  children,  and  their  mother's  government 
was  loving  and  serene.  The  combativeness  of  the  two 


392  '    MAPLE   EANGE. 

elder  children,  now,  was  a  new  feature  which  their 
father  was  soon  called  upon  by  Miss  Ramsdell,  to 
suppress  by  his  own  authority  With  many  stripes 
and  much  wordy  admonition,  the  beauty  of  civilization 
of  which  she  was  the  embodiment,  was  impressed 
upon  their  young  minds.  Their  obedience  to  her  was 
enjoined  in  her  own  and  in  the  presence  of  their 
mother,  and  particular  stress  was  laid  upon  the  fact 
that  the  latter  was  by  nature  incompetent  to  control 
or  teach  them,  as  she  was  an  uneducated  descendant 
of  the  Iroquois.  From  that  hour,  Miannetta  was 
denied  companionship  with  the  children  God  had 
given  her.  A  year  of  lonely  buffering  followed,  with 
only  stolen  interviews  with  the  little  ones,  who  would 
have  submitted  to  torture  rather  than  betray  her 
frequent  embraces.  At  the  end  of  the  year,  another 
little  one  was  laid  in  her  arms,  but  her  strength  was 
scarcely  equal  to  the  task  of  holding  it.  It  was  piti 
ful,  her  longing  for  one  word  of  love  and  sympathy 
from  her  husband  during  her  hour  of  trial.  But  he 
was  too  much  in  love  with  another,  whose  face  was 
not  distorted  with  pain.  He  preferred  laughter  to 
groans.  His  infatuation,  indeed,  had  reached  such  a 
point  that  he  disregarded  her  cry  : 

"  Do  not  leave  me,  Pierre,  I  beg  you.  O  my  hus 
band,  stay  till  this  is  past !  " 

He  sought  the  society  of  the  haughty  girl  who 
now  ruled  his  home  and  him. 

Miannetta  forgot  in  unconsciousness  his  indif 
ference  when  the  supreme  moment  came.  For  weeks 
she  languished  for  the  want  of  tenderness  and  air, 
which  were  both  denied  her.  When  the  carriage 


MIANNETTA'S  STOEY.  393 

rolled  away,  it  was  not  her  form  that  reclined  against 
the  crimson  cushions,  beside  her  animated  and  gentle 
manly  husband.  She  needed  change  of  scene — had 
always  been  taken  down  for  sea  air  after  her  confine 
ment  before  this ;  but  now  it  was  not  for  her  benefit 
that  a  seaside  trip  was  planned,  Montreal  and  other 
gay  resorts  visited.  No,  another  and  dearer  was  the 
invalid. 

One  morning  shortly  after  the  return  from  the  sea 
shore  of  Mr.  La  Moore  and  Miss  Ramsdell,  they  were 
sitting  together  in  the  parlor  near  an  open  window. 
The  young  lady's  head  was  bowed  in  her  hand,  and 
her  whole  attitude  expressive  of  dejection.  Mr.  La 
Moore  stooped  and  smoothed  her  hair,  saying  ten 
derly  : 

"  You  are  not  so  well  to-night,  Marian  !  I  hoped 
our  trip  would  give  you  better  spirits." 

"I  shall  never  have  better  spirits  here,  while  lia 
ble  to  encounter  at  any  moment  the  only  woman  I 
ever  really  hated  !  " 

"Why  do  you  hate  her,  Marian?  She  dare  not 
harm  you  !  she  has  not  the  spirit !  " 

"  She  has  the  spirit  to  tell  me  my  presence  is  loath- 
som  e  to  her ;  that  she  and  her  children  despise  and 
defy  me. " 

"  Miannetta  said  that  ?  " 

"Must  I  repeat  my  assertions,  in  order  to  be 
believed  ?  She  did  say  so  !  " 

"Well,  we  will  see!" 

He  strode  from  the  room  in  a  towering  passion, 
entered  Miannetta's,  and  taking  her  roughly  by  the 
shoulder,  turned  her  round  toward  the  window. 


394:  MAPLE   RANGE. 

Pointing  to  the  distant  forest  where  the  Iroquois 
village  lay,  in  a  voice  husky  with  anger,  he  said  : 

"Go  to  your  own  people!  You  can  sympathize 
with  the  rudeness  of  ^lieir  customs,  but  have  no  com- 
prehensi  on  of  the  refinement  of  ours  !  Go,  I  say  !  " 

"  You  do  not  surely  mean  this,  Pierre  ?  Their 
manner  of  life  is  as  uncongenial  to  me  as  it  would  be 
to  you  !  I  have  never  known  any,  save  a  home  like 
this,  amid  luxury  and  wealth.  You  do  not  mean  that 
I  shall  leave  you,  leave  my  blessed  little  children  f  " 

"Yes!  I  do  mean  it  all!  You  only  teach  my 
children  miserable  Indian  manners  and  resistance  to 
all  other  authority.  Give  me  that  child  !  " 

"No!  Pierre,  I  will  not!  If  you  insist  upon 
giving  Marian  all  the  rest  of  my  children,  you  must 
leave  me  this  one  !  I  claim  it  by  right  of  my  most 
suffering  motherhood." 

"No,  Miannetta,  not  one!  not  one  shall  you 
have  !  Here  is  money  for  all  your  needs. " 

"Perish  your  gold,  as  the  love  you  feigned  to 
obtain  it,  has  perished  !  " 

She  rushed  past  him,  with  her  child  hugged  closely 
to  her  bosom,  ran  up  the  long  flight  of  stairs  to  the 
nursery,  and  sat  down,  breathless,  in  the  midst  of  her 
wondering  children.  Then  she  told  them  with 
choking  sobs,  and  amid  their  own  tearful  and  indig 
nant  protests,  that  she  "must  go." 

' '  I  know  all  about  it, "  said  Eugene,  setting  his 
teeth,  while  his  tears  were  interrupted  by  rising 
anger.  "  I  heard  them  talking  through  the  window. 
That  woman  told  papa  that  you  had  been  abusing  her. 
I  knew  it  was  a  lie,  and  papa  doubted  it,  for  he  made 


MIANNETTA'S  STORY.  395 

her  say  it  again  'fore  he  'd  believe  her  !  See  if  I 
don't  find  ways  enough  to  torment  her !  We  can 
make  her  so  unhappy,  she  will  be  glad  to  get 
away,  and  you  sha'n't  go  a  step,  my  precious  pet 
mother  !  " 

His  arms  were  about  her  neck  protectingly,  ~::A 
he  looked  toward  the  door,  with  boyish  defiance  on 
his  beautiful  young  face.  His  poor,  distracted  mother 
thought : 

"For  this  love  and  noble  espousal  of  my  cause, 
my  boy  must  suffer." 

Annette  stationed  herself  on  the  other  side  of  her 
mother,  and  with  an  arm  about  her  neck,  stood  ready 
to  re-echo  whatever  her  brother  said,  to  repeat  his 
every  gesture  of  protest  and  defiance.  Little  elfish 
Josie  had  climbed  up  on  the  back  of  her  mother's 
chair,  and  was  playing  bopeep  with  Pierre  who,  upon 
his  highly-prized  seat,  the  maternal  knee,  was  nest 
ling  his  head  beside  the  baby's,  in  the  loved  and 
loving  bosom.  So  sweetly  hemmed  in,  could  harm 
fall  to  that  trembling  victim  of  a  miserable  woman's 
wiles?  Could  there  be  found  a  power  so  inhuman 
and  relentless  as  to  tear  her  from  this  childish  love  ? 
Softly  resigning  herself  to  their  affectionate  demon 
strations,  Miannetta  was  almost  happy  till  warned 
by  the  gathering  gloom  of  night  that  she  must  break 
these  chains  ;  so  calmly  she  sought  to  prepare  for  the 
long  separation. 

"Genie,  my  precious  boy,  you  are  the  eldest  and 
must  set  an  example  to  be  followed  by  Annette  and 
the  others.  Your  father  has  chosen  to  appoint 
another  woman  your  mother  in  my  stead,  and  you 


396  MAPLE  KANGE. 

must  remember,  no  matter  what  I  may  suffer,  that 
he  has  a  right  to  your  obedience." 

"I  shall  always  mind  papa,"  said  Eugene,  "but  I 
won't  mind  old  Purr  daisy." 

"Won't  mind  old  Purr  daisy,"  echoed  Annette. 

"But  by  making  an  enemy  of  her,  you  will  make 
an  enemy  of  your  father,  and  your  disobedience  to 
her  will  bring  upon  you  punishment  that  it  chills  me 
to  think  of.  Your  objection  to  my  going  will  be 
fruitless  as  my  own.  Now  for  your  own  happiness 
and  my  peace,  I  want  you  all  to  promise  to  be  gentle 
and  good,  to  treat  with  marked  politeiless  Miss 
llamsdell,  for  coarseness  and  vulgar  manners  are  the 
certain  result  of  ugly  thoughts.  I  do  wish  to  think 
of  you  as  preserving  the  old  Montfort  gentleness, 
But  for  this,  my  father's  cherished  trait,  I  might 
remain  and  try  conclusions  with  this  usurper. 
But,"  she  added,  as  if  speaking  to  herself,  "though 
in  my  veins  runs  the  purest  blood  of  France,  it  is 
blended  with  that  of  a  race  that  have  no  rights, 
whose  women,  when  discarded  by  the  caprice  of 
husbands,  have  no  refuge  save  in  the  forest;  no  re 
dress  save  that  from  which  my  soul  recoils.  No, 
there  is  no  way  but  to  submit,  all  my  claims  upon 
my  father's  wealth  are  vested  in  him  who  drives  me 
like  a  dog  from  my  own  door,  who  will  tear  from  me 
the  children  that  have  lain  on  my  heart." 

"O,  mother,  don't  say  so,"  cried  Eugene,  his  big 
heart  bursting  at  this  outrage  upon  his  adored 
mother,  and  ready  to  wage  childish  warfare  upon  its 
authors. 


MIANNETTA'S  STORY.  397 

Miannetta  again  soothed  him,  and  showed  how 
love  may  lead  the  most  fiery  spirits. 

"  Genie  stop  !  I  know  you  love  me  well  enough 
to  defend  me,  but  now  I  am  going  to  make  a 
request,  and  you  must  all  remember  it  as  mamma's 
last  wish.  It  is  that  you  will  conduct  yourselves  as 
become  the  descendants  of  a  man  who  was  a  gentle 
man  by  birth,  and  of  a  woman  who  was  of  royal 
blood,  and  detested  untruth  above  all  things.  Do  you 
promise  me,  my  children  ? " 

u  I  promise,"  said  Eugene,  and  sank  upon  his 
knees  sobbing,  with  his  face  in  her  lap. 

"I  promise,"  said  Annette,  striving  to  find  a 
similar  nestling  place. 

"  I  promise,"  said  little  Josie. 

Thus  La  Moore  found  them,  and  passionately 
bade  her  hasten  away.  Upon  each  darling  face  she 
imprinted  a  kiss,  the  agony  of  which  went  up  to 
heaven,  then  rising  said: 

' '  I  am  ready,  Pierre. " 

He  attempted  to  take  the  baby  from  her,  but  with 
the  strength  that  comes  of  despair  she  clung  to  it, 
and  O,  could  you  have  heard  her  plead  with  him,  her 
own  husband,  the  father  of  that  child — 

"  Just  this  one,  Pierre,  to  furnish  sunshine  for  my 
dreary  days." 

But  he  was  deaf  to  all  appeal,  his  heart  that  must 
have  been  flint,  was  proof  now  against  all  importuni 
ties,  and,  taking  the  child  from  her  clinging  clasp,  he 
dragged  her  down  the  stairs.  At  the  bottom  step 
Marian  stood,  the  personification  of  sweetness  and 
mercy,  for  she  cried  nervously  to  La  Moore; 


398  MAPLE   RANGE. 

"Don't  hurry  her  so  ;  use  as  little  severity  as 
possible,  dear  Mr.  La  Moore,  for  my  sake.  Let  me 
relieve  you  of  the  child." 

That  was  the  drop  too  much  for  poor  Miannetta, 
when  she  found  she  was  indebted  for  her  husband's 
gentleness  to  another  woman's  prayer,  when  her  baby, 
for  which  she  so  piteously  plead,  was  given  willing 
ly  into  the  arms  of  another — her  successful  rival  in 
her  husband's  heart — shriek  after  shriek  burst  from 
her  agonized  soul,  and  she  became  helpless  as  the 
babe  just  forcibly  taken  from  her.  La  Moore  took 
her  up  and  carried  her  to  a  door  at  the  rear  of  the 
house,  where  a  carriage  was  in  waiting,  which  she 
was  too  unhappy  to  notice  was  not  their  own.  A 
rough  looking  stranger  opened  the  door,  and  she  was 
thrust  in,  and  it  was  shut  again,  fastened  securely, 
and  immediately  she  was  driven  rapidly  away  from 
all  she  loved. 

For  some  time  she  seemed  paralyzed,  mind  and 
body  alike  insensible,  but  gradually  she  roused  her 
self,  and  at  midnight,  apprised  by  deepening  shadow 
that  they  were  entering  a  wood,  she  pulled  the  check 
string  to  communicate  a  desire  to  speak  with  the 
driver,  and  he,  dismounting,  opened  the  door,  say 
ing  gruffly  : 

"What's  wanted?" 

"  Where  do  you  intend  to  take  me  ? " 

"To  the  Iroquois  village." 

" Have  you  no  fear?  "  she  asked. 

"No;  the  Indians  are  friendly  and  are  Christians; 
they  will  hurt  no  one,"  he  said,  and  she  continued  : 

"You  have  undertaken  a  deed  that  will  certainly 


MIANNETTA'S  STORY.  399 

meet  the  reward  of  death.  I  can  not  save  you. 
Every  fact  of  our  coming  will  be  known  before  we 
reach  them,  no  matter  by  what  agency.  Your  blood 
must  be  upon  your  own  head  if  you  neglect  my 
warning,  and  cross  the  boundary  of  the  Indian  reser 
vation.1' 

With  an  oath  he  slammed  the  door  to,  mounted 
the  box  and  drove  on.  The  village  was  aroused  by 
their  arrival  just  at  dawn  the  following  day. 

Old  Sam-o-so-nois  received  his  grandchild  cordially, 
but  he  had  expected  this  for  a  long  time;  faithful 
agents  had  witnessed  all,  and  preceded  them  with 
the  tidings.  It  was  not  the  first  woman  of  his  people 
who  had  come,  driven  from  the  arms  of  a  false  pale 
face,  but  this  one  was  his  own  flesh  and  blood,  and, 
moreover,  of  that  sacred  line  of  women,  whom  every 
Indian  revered. 

Not  by  his  will,  for  he  was  a  Christian  though  an 
Indian,  but  through  younger,  more  passionate  agency, 
the  driver  met  the  penalty  of  his  service  in  bringing 
Miannetta,  a  discarded  wife,  to  the  woods. 

Before  the  sun  had  commenced  its  daily  journey, 
his  scalp  hung  limp  and  gory  by  the  hunting  pouch 
of  a  young  brave.  The  third  night  saw  that  carriage 
again  upon  its  way  city  ward,  driven  by  an  Indian, 
Miannetta  within,  and  by  her  side  the  feeble  hoary- 
headed  king  of  the  Iroquois  —  Sam-o-so-nois.  An 
occasional  remark  broke  the  silence,  but  while  they 
rode,  each  told  their  beads  devoutly.  At  the  edge  of 
the  wood  the  old  man  got  out,  and  holding  a  crucifix 
for  her  to  kiss,  said  in  good  French  : 

"  I  will  prevent  La  Moore  from  realizing  anything 


400  MAPLE   RANGE. 

from  the  Indian  titles.  They  shall  be  intact  for  the 
benefit  of  your  children.  Your  father  provided 
for  such  contingency  in  his  will.  The  papers  you 
gave  La  Moore  are  worthless  to  him  so  long  as  you 
live,  since  he  has  not  been  empowered  legally  to  ad 
minister  upon  the  French  estates.  I  shall  make  rapid 
preparation  now  for  removal  west.  The  blood  in  the 
veins  of  my  braves  is  boiling  to  revenge  your  wrong, 
and  fatal  collisions  will  occur  with  the  whites  if  we  do 
not  go.  Toward  the  sunset  is  a  fairy  lake,  and  a 
forest  of  wonderful  richness  in  game.  There  I  will 
go;  come  you  too,  when  your  heart  will  allow  you. 
Command  Indian  currency  as  you  need  it." 

.  So  saying,  he  disappeared.  The  coach  was  driven 
on  into  the  lighted  city,  when  the  driver  sprang  down, 
opened  the  door  with  a  guttural  exclamation,  and  in 
a  moment  he,  too,  was  gone. 

Miannetta  descended,  hurrying  to  her  late  home, 
entered  the  rear  grounds,  and  stood  beneath  the  nur 
sery  window.  She  gazed  with  jealous  eye  upon  the 
light,  that  unrebuked  might  fall  upon  the  sleeping 
faces  of  her  children,  while  she  was  shut  out. 
She  stood  long  in  the  shadow,  comforted  by  her  very 
nearness  to  them.  Then  she  heard  a  feeble  wail,  then 
the  petulant  voice  of  the  nurse,  disturbed  by  the  in 
creasing  cry  of  the  baby.  Her  baby,  crying  for  the 
nourishment  with  which  her  breast  was  bursting. 
The  calmness  that  had  supported  her  the  few  days 
past  gave  place  to  madness  now,  as  through  that  cry 
she  realized  the  bitterness  of  her  relentless  fate.  A 
lifetime  of  frenzy  seemed  condensed  in  the  minutes 
that  followed.  The  doors,  the  windows,  every  possi- 


MIANNETTA'S  STORY.  401 

ble  and  impossible  entrance  was  attempted.  No  mer 
ciful  hinge  creaked  a  welcome  ;  no  bar  fell  down  to 
let  her  through.  She  called  wildly  upon  her  husband, 
begged  of  the  servants  to  let  her  in  to  feed  her  child. 
No  response  came,  though  the  house  was  thrilled 
through  and  through.  The  heads  of  Eugene  and 
Annette  were  seen  a  moment  at  the  open  window  ;  a 
moment,  and  they  were  torn  away,  calling  her  name. 

Her  cries  at  last  gave  place  to  the  silent  agony  of 
a  forced  submission.  When  she  would  have  fallen, 
the  arm  of  old  Sam-o-so-nois,  who,  with  another  In 
dian,  was  waiting  in  the  shadow  of  the  shrubbery, 
upheld  and  led  her  through  several  streets  to  the 
comfortable  but  rude  hut  of  an  old  Iroquois  woman, 
originally  the  owner  of  much  real  estate  in  Ottawa. 
She  willingly  received  Miannetta.  They  laid  her, 
senseless  now,  upon  a  bed  where  for  weeks  she  lay  in 
a  raging  fever,  only  recovering  through  most  skillful 
attendance  and  care. 

In  Ottawa  were  warm  hearts,  who  could  not  ex 
cuse  La  Moore  for  casting  her  off,  even  though  she 
had  been  entirely  an  Indian,  since  her  Indian  blood 
was  his  plea.  They  remembered  her  in  brighter  days 
when,  the  courted  and  brilliant  belle  of  an  aristo 
cratic  circle  in  Montreal,  she  gracefully  accepted 
homage  that  never  questioned  her  antecedents.  They 
had  loved  her  for  her  independent,  vivacious,  yet  ten 
der  nature,  never  dreaming  of  the  shadow  of  her 
later  years.  A  poor  outcast,  upon  a  mean  bed  in  a 
lowly  hut,  denied  the  wealth  assuredly  hers,  denied 
her  own  children. 

White  women  have  suffered  the  same  way,  but 
2A  17* 


402  MAPLE   RANGE. 

with  them  redress  is  possible.  Laws  are  enacted  for 
their  protection.  But  what  law  is  there  for  a  repudi 
ated  wife  of  mixed  blood  ?  What  redress  if  her  chil 
dren  are  torn  from  her  bosom  ? 

In  the  weeks  of  her  returning  health,  Miannetta 
was  schooling  herself  to  the  renunciation  she  felt  was 
inevitable.  With  wonderful  trust  in  the  love  vouch 
safed  her  daily  from  on  high,  she  resolved  through 
strength  from  the  same  source,  to  bear  her  afflictions. 
The  day  came  when  she  could  walk  unassisted.  Day 
by  day  she  gained  strength,  though  slowly,  ventur 
ing  each  day  a  little  further  in  her  walks. 

One  night  when  darkness  favored  her  (darkness 
now  seemed  her  friend),  she  passed  again  into  the 
inclosure  of  her  children's  home,  and  seating  herself 
in  the  shrubbery  where  they  had  often  played  round 
her,  she  watched  the  light  that  came  dimly  from  their 
room.  The  great,  pitying  eye  looked  down  upon 
the  tired,  wandering  mourner,  alone  in  the  dark. 
Suddenly  the  curtain  of  the  nursery  window  was 
drawn  aside,  the  sash  was  raised  softly,  and  two  heads 
peered  cautiously  out.  Then  a  paper  attached  to  a 
long  cord  was  lowered.  Dear  little  hearts  !  Think 
ing  she  would  be  there  durjng  the  night,  her  children 
had  determined  to  communicate  with  her.  She  sprang 
eagerly  forward,  detached  the  paper,  and  when  the 
cord  was  drawn  up,  a  lock  of  her  long  dark  hair  and 
a  pure  white  rose  were  attached,  which  were 
laid  carefully  away  under  lock  and  key.  Mian 
netta  hurried  away  now  with  her  treasure,  repairing 
to  the  hut  of  an  old  Indian  woman  in  the  nearest  wood. 
There  she  read  her  precious  missive  by  the  aid  of  the 


MI  ANN  ETTA'S  STORY.  403 

firelight,  and  we  will  be  rude  enough  to  look  over 
her  shoulder. 

DEAREST   MOTHER: 

It's  me,  Eugene,  that  writes,  but  Annette  thinks  up  some  of 
the  things  to  say.  The  poor  little  baby  cried  and  cried  till  it  died. 
The  doctor  said  it  was  change  of  food,  but  we  think  it  knew  that 
you  were  drove  off.  Marw/m,  as  we  call  her  now,  talks  about  the 
angels  it  has  gone  to  live  with,  but  we  guess  she  '11  never  get  near 
enuff  to  one  to  tell  how  it  looks.  We  shall  remember  our  prom 
ise  to  be  polite  to  her,  but  we  take  turns  making  faces  at  her 
when  her  back  is  turned,  Annette  and  me  do.  We  are  all  sorry 
for  you,  and  talk  about  you  a  great  deal,  so  that  Josie  and  Pierre 
won't  forget.  We  will  put  letters  out  when  we  can  get  a  chance, 
and  if  they  are  not  gone  in  the  morning  we  '11  draw  'em  up  again. 
We  expect  you  will  go  to  the  old  king,  our  great-grandfather,  and 
will  have  enough  money  to  make  you  comfortable,  but  we  know 
that  you  will  miss  us  and  be  unhappy  and  lonely.  Dear  mother, 
this  is  full  of  love,  for  we  have  all  kissed  it,  each  just  where  their 
name  is  written.  Josie,  Pierre,  Annette,  and  me, 

EUGENE. 

Strange  !  We  have  read  this  little  letter  two  or 
three  times,  and  yet,  Miannetta  seems  to  be  long  in 
making  it  out !  Ah,  she  has  fallen  asleep  over  the 
childish  scroll ;  and  look  at  the  blessed  smile  upon 
her  wasted  features !  When  she  awoke  it  was  in  a 
delirium  that  lasted  many  weeks.  She  had  taxed 
her  strength  too  much.  She  came  again  very  near 
death,  but,  at  last,  through  the  agency  of  powerful 
remedies  administered  by  the  medicine  man  of  the 
Senecas,  who  visited  the  wigwam,  she  recovered.  As 
soon  as  her  strength  would  allow,  she  repaired  once 
more  to  the  Mecca  of  her  hopes,  her  children's  win 
dow.  The  light  was  gone  ;  the  house  untenanted  ! 
She  inquired  among  the  neighbors,  but  no  one  could 


404  MAPLE    RANGE. 

or  would  tell  whither  Mr.  La  Moore  had  taken  his 
family.  She  returned  to  the  deserted  house  and 
wildly  sought  for  some  word  of  farewell  from  her 
children,  and  found  it  at  last  skillfully  concealed  in 
the  loose  bark  of  the  tree  that  was  her  own  and  their 
favorite  resort.  She  read  : 

DEAK  MOTHER  :  We  have  wrote  lots  of  letters,  but  you  didn't 
come  for  'em,  and  we  are  awful  afraid  something  has  happened  to 
you.  Maria/in  has  got  a  baby,  and  papa  says  we  must  call  her 
mother  now. 

Papa  sold  the  house  for  a  pile  of  money,  and  we  are  going 
away — I  don't  know  where,  nor  papa  won't  tell  anybody  ;  but 
I'm  'fraid  it  is  a  great  way  off,  'cause  none  of  the  servants  but 
Lavergn  and  Casper  are  going  with  us,  and  we  sha'n't  see  you 
again  •  but  we  shall  try  to  let  you  know,  and  if  there  are  any 
Indians  'round,  it  will  be  easy  to  do  so.  We  won't  forget  you 
never — never.  We  will  all  be  good,  and  love  one  another.  You 
always  said  God  would  take  care  of  us  ;  and  we  ask  Him  many 
times  a  day  to  never  mind  us,  but  take  care  of  poor  marnma. 
Good-by.  GENIE  AND  NETTIE. 

This  was  the  last  she  heard  of  them  for  twelve 
long,  weary  months,  which  she  spent — part  of  the 
time  in  the  woods,  with  different  tribes  that  were  of 
the  League,  at  home  and  welcome  always  ;  but  she 
had  no  heart  for  their  wild  life,  that  charmed 
her  so  in  childhood.  Once  she  visited  Montreal, 
thinking  it  possible  the  beloved  ones  might  be  there  ; 
but  she  was  almost  maddened  by  the  scenes  that 
carried  her  back  to  happier  days.  She  avoided  all 
meetings  with  old  acquaintances  ;  but  that  was  a  great 
mistake.  Miannetta  Montfort  was  too  well  beloved 
by  the  noble  French  families  in  Montreal,  to  be 
dropped  by  them  simply  because  her  husband,  who 


MIANNETTA'S  STORY.  405 

was  not  so  favorably  remembered,  had  dropped  her. 
But  she  did  not  know  this.  Misfortune  makes  us 
sometimes  suspicious  and  afraid  of  friends,  especially 
when  those  we  considered  true  as  heaven  have  failed 
us.  Many  friends  would  have  welcomed  her,  both  in 
Montreal  and  Ottawa  ;  but  with  a  proud  sensitiveness 
she  avoided  all  who  hud  known  her  in  the  days  of  her 
prosperity,  not  knowing  to  what  extent  her  hus 
band  was  censured  for  his  cruelty  and  wickedness. 
With  the  Indians  there  was  no  question  of  her  posi 
tion.  Sam-o-so-nois  had  carried  out  his  avowed  pur 
pose  to  move  west  immediately ;  but  Miannetta 
found  homes  in  lodges  belonging  to  other  tribes, 
under  the  protection  of  other  sovereigns.  She 
remained  near  Ottawa,  as  there  she  was  sure  her 
children  would  address  her  whenever  the  opportu 
nity  should  offer.  After  a  year  of  patient  waiting, 
she  was  rewarded  by  tidings.  Two  Indians  had  made 
the  long  journey  on  foot  from  Minnesota,  in  compli 
ance  with  a  request  Eugene  had  made  of  them  to  find 
and  tell  his  mother  where  they  were.  She  returned 
with  them,  traveling  on  a  pony.  She  reached  St. 
P— — ,  and  gazed  upon  the  roof  that  sheltered  her 
dear  little  ones,  but  dared  not  approach  it,  and  for 
days  lingered  lovingly  near,  without  a  sight  of  beloved 
face  or  form.  . 

At  last,  one  day,  one  of  her  escorts  met  Eugene 
in  town,  and  communicated  to  him  the  fact  that  his 
mother  waited  in  the  long  ravine  at  the  foot  of  the 
bluff,  to  see  him.  Each  afternoon  she  sat  down  there, 
to  pick  over  the  strawberries  she  sold  in  the  city  as 
an  excuse  for  lingering  near  the  residence  of  La 


406  '  MAPLE   RANGE. 

Moore.  The  noble  little  fellow  desired  to  rush  to 
her,  but  fearing  the  observation  he  might  thus  attract, 
he  managed  more  prudently,  as  became  his  moth 
er's  son.  With  some  other  boys,  he  engaged  in  a 
game  of  ball,  which  had  its  disadvantages,  to  be  sure, 
but  which  should  serve  his  purpose,  he  determined. 
A  good  throw  would  do  wonders  for  him  now,  and 
how  his  heart  beat  when  the  ball  dropped  almost  into 
her  lap. 

"Run,  Genie!"  cried  one.  "The  ball  dropped 
down  close  to  that  old  squaw,  down  there  !  " 

Eugene  had  obeyed  him,  bounding  down  and  lay 
ing  his  hand  tenderly  upon  her  shoulder,  and  looking 
with  eyes  overrunning  with  love  into  hers,  as  these 
words  were  quickly  exchanged  : 

"  Mother  !  my  precious  mother  !  we  are  dying  to 
see  you ! " 

"  Genie,  darling,  I  dare  not  kiss  you  ;  but  I  am 
so  thirsty  for  your  love  !  " 

"I'll  manage  some  way!"  he  said;  but  went 
whistling  back  up  the  bluff,  saying  : 

"  Let 's  find  a  better  place  than  a  side  hill  for  this 
kind  of  a  game,  boys  !  " 

His  companions  did  not  see  that  he  was  hiding  a 
note  away  in  his  pocket,  and  had  no  suspicion  that 
other  than  fatigue  took  him  away  from  their  sport 
shortly  afterward.  Going  home,  he  sought  Annette, 
and  together  they  read  : 

MY  PRECIOUS  CHILDREN  :  I  can  hardly  help  rushing  to  you 
and  braving  all  for  one  close,  blessed  embrace  ;  but  I  know  we 
must  be  cautious,  or  you  will  all  be  taken  away  again.  Come, 
Genie,  to-morrow  afternoon,  when  I  start  to  the  city  with  my 


MIANNETTA'S  STORY.  407 

berries,  and  cross  the  slough  bridge  at  the  same  time.  We  will 
talk ;  but  don't  look  at  me,  nor  appear  to  notice  me.  Oh,  what 
love  I  have  for  you  all !  YOUR  MOTHER. 

This  letter,  more  precious  than  gold  to  them,  was 
committed  at  once  to  flames ;  but  in  obedience  to  it, 
as  Miannetta  stepped  upon  the  bridge,  she  heard  a 
light  footstep  bound  upon  the  plank,  and  knew  that 
her  boy  was  near.  He  appeared  to  be  completely 
absorbed  throwing  stones  into  the  water  ;  but  all  the 
time  they  were  conversing  rapidly  in  French.  It  was 
a  short  walk  for  two  who  had  so  much  to  say  ;  but 
the  language  they  used  was  eloquent  and  comprehen 
sive,  and  no  time  was  wasted. 

"We  are  most  crazy  to  see  you,"  said  Eugene. 
"Papa  has  promised  me  that  we  may  go  by  ourselves 
in  the  carriage  to-morrow,  a  nice  ride.  Lavergn  will 
drive;  he  remembers  you  and  would  lose  his  arm  for 
you,  any  day.  So  you  be  in  the  cooley  yonder," 
(he  threw  a  pebble  to  indicate  the  direction)  "  and  we 
will  pick  you  up.  All  the  children  shall  be  along — 
all  but  M.a.ri-ann's — and  you  shall  ride  with  us  once 
more,  mother." 

He  crossed  over  to  the  other  railing  in  front  of 
her,  looking  into  her  face,  and  their  eyes  met  and 
spoke  the  depths  of  their  love. 

"Thank  God  for  this,"  she  whispered,  as  he 
commenced  whistling  noisily. 

Just  then  a  boyish  acquaintance  came  alon  g,  and 
addressing  Eugene,  said: 

' '  That's   a  Yankton   squaw,    and,   they  say,  the 
handsomest  woman  in  St.  Paul,     Let  us  follow 
take  a  look  at  her, " 


408  MAPLE   RANGE. 

Eugene,  determined  to  keep  his  reckless  play 
fellow  by  him  until  his  mother  should  have  left  the 
city,  said: 

"  No  do  n't.  Let 's  go  and  take  a  ride  ;  I  can  get 
the  horses." 

His  friend  readily  acquiescing,  they  turned 
towards  the  stables.  Winking  significantly  at  the 
did  coachman,  Eugene  asked  the  privilege  for  himself 
and  his  companion  of  riding.  His  signal  was 
understood  and  the  horses  were  put  under  the  boys  in 
a  hurry,  Lavergn  soliloquizing  as  they  rode  away, 
thus: 

"She's  somewhere  around,  I  know;  that  boy's 
face  is  just  like  a  book,  and  I  can  read  his  mother's 
name  all  over  it.  Let  me  see.  Yes,  I  have  it  now, 
that 's  the  reason  the  strawberries  on  the  bluff  side 
are  so  much  better.  Poor  thing,  to  have  to  pick 
berries  for  an  excuse  to  be  near  the  home  she  could 
turn  'em  all  out  of,  by  twisting  a  screw  or  two,  but 
she  is  made  of  better  stuff  than  most  women. " 

That  night,  with  her  blanket  over  her  head,  Mian- 
netta  lay  wakeful  in  the  silent  thicket,  to  which  she 
had  retired  in  alarm,  having  noticed  that  in  spite  of 
her  disguise,  she  had  attracted  attention  and  a  certain 
coarse  admiration.  She  felt  that  she  was  watched, 
and  determined  to  avoid  the  streets.  To  visit  her 
children  again  might  result  in  her  being  recognized 
by  La  Moore,  who,  she  felt  sure,  would  hear  of  her, 
if  she  were  not  more  cautious. 

While  yet  the  dew  lay  in  crystal  globules  in  the 
cups  of  the  flowers,  or  hung  like  pearls,  on  the  quiver 
ing  leaves,  she  crept  cautiously  from  her  leafy  couch 


MIANNETTA'S  STORY.  409 

to  u  place  of  concealment  near  the  road  that  wound 
down  the  long  cooley,  where  she  watched  every 
vehicle  that  passed.  Not  till  late  in  the  afternoon 
was  she  rewarded. 

La  Moore's  carriage  came  slowly  down,  the  driver 
-  not  Lavergn  —  holding  the  reins  tightly.  As 
they  reached  a  place  where  the  carriage  could  be 
brought  to  a  stand  without  pressing  upon  them, 
Miannetta  stepped  out  of  the  bushes,  and,  by  a  word 
of  command,  brought  the  horses  to  a  full  stop,  regard 
less  of  the  drivers  imprecation.  Quickly  opening 
the  carriage  door  to  greet  her  children,  she  encoun 
tered  the  cold,  stern  gaze  of  Marian  Ramsdell,  and 
heard  her  command — 

' '  Jasper,  get  down  and  take  this  squaw  away,  and 
then  drive  immediately  home?'1 

The  driver  sprang  to  execute  her  command  ;  Mian 
netta  was  partly  in  the  carriage;  he  took  hold  of  her 
arm,  but  Eugene's  determined  fist  was  so  skillfully 
aimed  between  his  eyes,  that  he  was  sent  to  the  right 
about  in  a  hurry,  while  he  was  warned  by  Eugene  not 
to  interfere  with  that  woman  again,  as  he  valued  his 
place,  but  to — 

"Get  on  to  the  box  and  attend  to  your  business, 
which  is  driving  the  horses." 

The  bewildered,  half-witted  fellow  climbed  back, 
and  taking  up  the  reins,  called  out: 

"Where  shall  I  drive  to?" 

"  Home  !"  shrieked  Marian,  in  a  frightfully  angry 
tone. 

' '  Drive  on  to  the  place  you  were  told  to  before 
starting,"  said  Eugene. 
13 


410  MAPLE   RANGE. 

"IVo,  Jasper,  you  dare  not  disobey  me.  I  will  go 
home"  said  Marian. 

"Well,  you  will  walk  then,"  said  Eugene,  open 
ing  the  door  for  her. 

She  hurried  out,  crimson  with  rage,  and  in  haste 
to  inform  La  Moore  of  "Miannetta's  daring  and 
Eugene's  insolence." 

Those  two  offenders  were  all  oblivious  of  her,  of 
the  past,  or  the  to  come,  for  now  the  tide  of  love 
was  coming  in,  and  all  hateful  things  were  lost  sight 
of  in  the  bewildering  flood.  Miannetta  was  em 
bracing  her  children  wildly.  She  would  set  Pierre 
down  and  take  up  Josie,  put  down  Josie  and  take  up 
Pierre,  kiss  Annette  at  her  right,  and  turn  quickly  to 
her  left  to  salute  Eugene — all  the  time  laughing  and 
crying. 

A  stranger  looking  in  at  the  window,  would  have 
thought  an  escaped  lunatic  was  killing  that  load  of 
children.  They  were  whirling  away  now  rapidly 
behind  unrestrained  horses,  into  the  solitary  country, 
where,  without  remark,  they  might  all  laugh  and 
shout  and  give  vent  to  their  joy  at  this  re-union. 

Stars  danced  in  the  sky  when  the  carriage  climbed 
the  bluff  again  (for  they  had  a  picnic  supper  on  the 
grass  miles  away),  and  still  Miannetta  rode  with  them. 
The  gate  swung  open,  they  passed  through,  the 
horses  dashed  up  to  the  door,  La  Moore  came 
and  took  the  children  out.  Miannetta,  who  was 
getting  out  the  opposite  door,  heard  him  say  to 
Eugene : 

"  WTiy  did  n't  you  bring  your  mother  home  ?" 

"We  did,"  was  the  reply,  but  when  he  looked 


MIANNETTA'S  STORY.  411 

into  the  carriage  for  her  she  was  gone,   had  disap 
peared  in  the  shrubbery. 

The  next  morning,  the  little  crib  of  Marian  Rams- 
dell's  eldest  child  was  empty.  On  the  pillow  where 
his  pretty  flaxen  head  had  lain,  a  note  was  pinned, 
addressed  to  her.  It  read  : 

MARIAN  : 

By  kindness  and  considerate  treatment  of  my  children,  you 
may  ensure  the  safety  of  your  own.  MIANNETTA. 

Marian  read  the  note,  and  with  it  in  her  hand, 
rushed  into  the  room  where  her  child's  father  was 
reading  the  morning  paper,  and  with  frantic  vehe 
mence,  shrieked : 

"  Miannetta  has  stolen  my  child  !" 

"  You  stole  five  of  hers,  and  her  husband,"  was 
the  calm  reply. 

"  Follow  her,  La  Moore,  bring  back  my  boy — my 
darling  baby  boy.  Why  are  you  so  indifferent?  Will 
you  not  follow  her  ? " 

"No,  indeed;  my  scalp  feels  better  on  my  own 
head." 

This  was  spoken  lightly,  but  he  knew  well  that  a 
search  for  that  child  by  him  would  certainly  result  in 
the  loss  of  his  scalp,  as  it  also  was  certain  to  result 
fruitlessly.  Miannetta  would  not  wish  to  have  him 
harmed,  but  she  could  not  control  the  scalping 
knives,  that  had  been  dedicated  to  this  service  long 
since,  and  were  only  waiting  a  suitable  opportunity 
to  fly  from  their  sheaths. 

He  knew  her  tender  heart  would  not  suffer  a  hair 
of  its  head  to  come  to  harm,  that  she  had  stolen  it 


412  MAPLE   RANGE. 

only  to  stay  the  vengeance  of  Marian,  which  might 
have  fallen  heavily  upon  the  offenders  of  yesterday, 
but  for  this  practical  lesson.  Though  he  knew  that 
the  child  was  as  safe  as  in  its  own  mother's  arms,  he 
would  not  tell  Marian  so.  He  did  not  care  to  com 
fort  her  now;  that  time  was  past,  never  more  to 
return.  She  had  no  holy  claim  upon  his  love.  Yes 
terday  when  she  returned,  all  flushed  and  exasperated, 
from  her  unaccustomed  walk  up  the  bluff,  and  de 
tailed  to  him  the  mortifying  'circumstances  of  Mian 
netta'' s  appearance,  how  she  had  been  "  foiled  by 
Miannetta — driven  to  an  ignominious  walk  by  the 
Indian,"  she  paused,  expecting  La  Moore  would  fly 
into  a  towering  passion,  but  instead  he  straightened 
himself  at  full  length  on  the  sofa,  and  looking  fondly 
at  the  end  of  his  cigar,  said: 

"Well,  Marian,  Miannetta  has  let  you  ride  in  her 
carriage  a  long  time.  No  one  can  wonder  if  she  now 
plans  to  let  you  do  a  little  pedestrianism." 

"  La  Moore,  would  you  insult  me  ?  " 

"  ]?o,  there  would  be  too  little  satisfaction  in  that 
to  warrant  the  outlay." 

What  could  it  mean  ?  To  coolly  invite  her  to 
submit  tamely  to  this  outrage,  inflicted  by  a  woman— 
whom  she  had  ousted  from  her  home  by  her  superior 
charms — that  she  hated,  that  La  Moore  had  ceased  to 
love  long  ago  and  forsaken  for  herself,  she  thought, 
forever.  Ah!  forever  is  a  long  word. 

It  was  plain  to  her  now,  his  infatuation  for  herself 
was  over,  and  she  feared  he  was  returning  to  his  old 
love. 

'Twas  true,  the  scales  had  fallen  from  his  eyes, 


MIANNETTA'S  STORY.  413 

the  glamour  which  had  blinded  him  had  vanished, 
and  deep  in  his  heart  he  found  her  image  was  still 
tenderly  enshrined.  He  heard  a  voice  pleading  for 
her — the  voice  of  his  own  soul — and  it  should  never, 
never  more  be  silent.  Had  she  even  entered  the 
house  and  asserted  her  rights,  bidding  the  false 
woman  begone,  his  heart  would  have  admitted  the 
righteousness  of  her  act.  He  had  not  strength  of 
himself  to  right  the  great  wrong,  but  had  Miannetta 
made  the  first  move  towards  asserting  herself,  he 
would  have  supported  her  and  rejoiced  in  the  discom 
fiture  of  Marian.  Though  himself  the  greatest  sin 
ner,  he  would  have  felt  a  cowardly  satisfaction  in  her 
punishment  for  their  mutual  crime. 

Weeks  ran  on,  months  even,  and  Miannetta  came 
not ;  the  children  often  heard  from  her  ;  letters  were 
mysteriously  brought  from  the  forest,  and  the  replies 
as  mysteriously  transmitted  to  her. 

It  was  late  Autumn.  Snow  already  lay  upon  the 
ground  and  the  weather  was  very  cold.  The  family 
of  La  Moore  were  gathered  in  the  sitting  room  one 
evening,  La  Moore  reading,  Marian  busy  with  some 
fancy  work,  and  the  children  variously  occupied. 
Suddenly  the  door  opened,  and  the  child  taken  away 
months  before  was  set  into  the  room.  The  person 
who  brought  it  as  suddenly  disappeared.  The  little 
fellow  had  forgotten  every  one  of  the  family,  even 
his  own  mother,  and  in  his  fright  called  piteously: 

"  Miannetta  !    Miannetta  !  " 

His  mother  strove  to  win  him  back  to  some  re 
membrance  of  her,  but  in  vain.  With  tears  and 
wailing  he  protested  against  being  left,  until  both 


4:14:  MAPLE   RANGE. 

tears  and  voice  were  exhausted  and  he  closed  his  eyes 
in  sleep. 

La  Moore  was  now  resolved  to  see  Miannetta,  and 
persuade  her  to  return  to  his  home.  Ke  knew  she 
would  not  leave  the  city  without  an  interview  with 
the  children,  and  by  Eugene's  connivance,  he  waited 
outside  the  door  of  Annette's  room  that  opened  into 
a  charming  little  enclosure,  filled  with  choice  Winter 
shrubs  and  evergreens.  As  Miannetta  stole  out  after 
a  long  conference  with  her  dear  ones,  he  caught  her 
in  his  arms,  called  her  his  dear  wife,  kissed  her 
fondly,  and  besought  her  to  lay  her  head  upon  his 
breast — her  shelter  evermore  ;  but  she  responded  not 
to  his  embrace. 

"Miannetta,  my  beautiful  wife,"  he  pleaded,  "do 
not  look  on  me  so  coldly;  do  you  love  me  no  more, 
darling  ? " 

"Love  you,  Pierre  !  Because  of  my  love  for  you, 
my  life  is  made  wretched  ;  but  my  love  is  pure  and 
will  not  mingle  with  that  of  an  unholy  passion.  My 
love  is  beyond  my  control,  as  my  person  is  beyond 
yours.  Let  me  go." 

With  a  vigorous  effort  she  escaped  from  him, 
while  he  mournfully  called  upon  her  to  return. 

In  his  sleep  that  night,  to  the  dismay  of  the 
woman  who  lay  beside  him,  he  called  again  and  again 
the  name  she  loathed  and  despised,  the  name  of  his 
true  wife. 

Eugene  brought  her  a  letter  from  her  husband  ; 
for  a  moment  she  held  the  unopened  letter  irreso 
lutely  in  her  hand,  her  woman's  heart  clamorous 
for  him,  her  decision  almost  overcome,  then  snatching 


MIANNETTA'S  STORY.  415 

a  pen,  she  hastily  wrote  upon  the  envelope  the  words 
UTOO  LATE."  With  a  deep  sigh  she  turned  the 
key  once  for  all  upon  her  weakness  and  indecision, 
and  so  the  letter  went  back  unopened  and  unread. 

Miannetta  bade  her  children  a  tender  and  long 
adieu,  and  like  Bunyan's  Christian,  with  her  fingers 
in  her  ears,  she  fled  from  his  contaminated  love.  Save 
an  occasional  letter  exchanged  with  her  children,  she 
heard  little  from  their  home  in  St.  P . 

Farther  than  to  assure  them  of  her  well-being  and 
that  she  never  ceased  to  think  of  them,  she  believed 
it  less  cruel  to  remain  entirely  away.  She  had 
adopted  the  dress  of  the  Indians,  and  sought  to  dis 
guise  herself  so  that  it  should  never  be  known  that  the 
wanderer  of  the  forest  was  the  mother  of  the  rich  La 
Moore's  children.  After  her  long  absences  and  vis 
its  to  old  Sam-o-so-nois  on  Lake  Itasca,  who  died  at 
last  in  her  arms,  full  of  grace  and  full  of  years,  she 
returned  to  the  Sioux,  with  whom  she  had  spent  most 
of  the  time  since  she  came  to  Minnesota;  not  that  she 
preferred  being  with  them — they  were  too  wild  and 
savage  for  her  gentle  spirit — but  gratitude  largely 
predominated  in  her  nature,  and  the  Indians  who  had 
gone  to  Canada  for  her,  at  Eugene's  request,  were 
Sioux.  Through  this  tribe,  also,  she  could  oftener 

communicate  with  her  children  in  St.  P ,  and  she 

was  among  them  when  she  first  met  Robert  Maynard. 

The  next  Spring  she  went  to  Maple  Range  and 
spent  the  Summer,  and  we  have  seen  how  welcome 
she  was,  especially  at  The  Maples.  The  Spring  that 
La  Moore  went  to  France  he  also  visited  Ottawa,  with 
the  intent  of  building  up  his  finances  sufficiently  to 


416  MAPLE    RANGE. 

justify  the  immense  expenses  which  he  believed  would 
be  necessaiy  to  unlock  the  legal  barriers  to  French 
bullion.  But  Sam-o-so-nois  had  placed  similar  bar 
riers  in  the  way  of  Pierre  La  Moore's  realizing  per 
sonally  from  the  Indian  treasure.  Miannetta  could 
cancel  the  injunction,  or  her  children  when  they 
reached  their  majority,  if  she  were  dead ;  but  he 
might  as  well  attempt  to  establish  a  claim  to  the  ex 
chequer  of  the  moon  as  to  make  a  draft  on  the  gold 
that  would  pour  from  the  treasury  when  demanded  by 
those  to  whom  it  was  thus  doubly  secured.  Though 
his  attempt  had  been  unsuccessful,  yet  the  knowledge 
that  he  had  again  tried  to  feather  his  unhallowed 
nest  through  the  treasure  of  his  discarded  Indian 
wife,  had  reached  the  ears  of  the  little  band  of  Iro 
quois  on  Lake  Itasca.  The  offense  was  designedly 
exaggerated  by  the  young  orators,  so  that  all  the 
white  men,  women  and  children  of  Minnesota  were 
regarded  as  guilty  of  the  outrage  against  Mian 
netta.  With  wild,  impassioned  declamation,  they 
exhorted  the  Itascan  braves  to  consolidate  with  the 
other  nations  that  were  preparing  to  wipe  out  their 
wrongs  with  blood. 

La  Moore,  himself  the  author  of  the  wrong  they 
proposed  so  madly  to  avenge,  sat  in  security, 
nor  heard  the  first  twang  of  the  avenging  bow,  while 
partly  for  his  misdeeds  the  mangled  forms  of  innocent 
victims  strewed  the  undefended  frontier.  Miannetta's 
first  intimation  of  the  movement  burst  upon  her 
grieved  sight  in  the  flames  that  consumed  Ben  Pal 
mer's  dwelling,  when  returning  after  a  search  in  the 
woods  for  roots  and  medicine,  she  found  the  house  on 


MIAKNETTA'S  STORY.  417 

fire  and  Ruth  dead  beside  her  baby's  cradle.  She  was 
concealed  near  by  when  the  stage  with  Robert  arrived. 
She  had  seen  the  baby  taken  care  of  by  Mrs.  McDou- 
gal.  She  followed  them  to  The  Maples,  still  conceal 
ing  herself,  not  through  fear  of  Robert,  but  not 
knowing  how  far  exasperation  would  carry  the 
strange  men  who  were  with  him,  at  sight  of  her 
Indian  dress. 

From  her  different  hiding-places  she  had  witnessed 
the  search  for  Nellie.  She  knew  the  poor  girl  was 
not  dead,  or  the  Indians  would  not  have  carried  her 
off.  She  stole  into  Robert's  room  to  give  him  the 
comfort  of  a  written  promise  to  find  her.  When  she 
raised  the  ornament  to  put  her  scroll  under  and  saw 
the  picture  of  her  own  child  there,  guessing  that 
Robert  and  she  were  betrothed,  such  a  flood  of  new 
feelings  rushed  over  her  who  had  known  so  many 
forms  of  suffering,  that  her  head  swam  and  her  knees 
trembled.  What  if  her  relation  to  Annette,  becom 
ing  known,  should  prevent  their  marriage  and  her 
daughter's  life  be  overshadowed  with  gloom  like  her 
own. 

She  was  not  astonished  when  Robert  told  her  that 
the  engagement  was  broken  by  Annette's  own  hand. 
She  knew  the  soul  of  the  noble  girl  would  revolt 
against  a  marriage  with  the  man  who  was  ignorant  of 
her  antecedents. 

"  Would  Robert  Maynard  be  likely  to  marry  one 
whom  he  knew  was  even  remotely  connected  with  the 
murderers  of  his  parents  ?  *' 

Miannetta,  however,  had  faith  enough  in  him  to 
believe  in  his  constancy,  and  to  give  him  the  faint 


418  MAPLE  RANGE. 

hope  that  it  would  rest  with  him  to  remove  the  bar 
rier  to  their  union,  as  he  did  when  he  called  her  "  Mi- 
annetta,  mother  !  "  the  day  of  La  Moore's  death. 

Reader,  you  have  followed  the  wanderings  of 
her  weary  feet,  have  heard  the  moaning  of  her  broken 
heart,  will  you  not  now  rejoice  to  turn  a  brighter  page 
in  the  chequered  life  of  this  daughter  of  two  races, 
each  furnishing  types  of  all  that  is  noble  and  good, 
as  well  as  of  all  that  is  ignoble  and  treacherous 

If  to  the  bloody  authors  of  the  Indian  massacre 
the  mind  should  revert  to  the  prejudice  of  our  noble 
Miannetta,  let  me  ask  :  Does  not  our  land  give  birth 
to  the  lowest  types  of  human  degradation,  as  well  as 
to  the  transcendent  charity  which  furnishes  asylum 
for  the  degraded  of  all  nations?  If  George  Washing 
ton's  name  stands  out  resplendent  upon  hi-.tory's 
page,  is  not  Benedict  Arnold's  black  with  infamy? 
Were  the  faithful  eleven  less  holy  because  of  the 
treason  of  Judas  ? 


HEADING   THE    WILL.  419 


CHAPTEE   XX. 

READING     THE    WILL. 

"  Her  sceptre  was  a  broken  reed." 

Tin  WAS  the  close  of  a  gloomy  December  day— 
-L  the  snow  pecking  and  pestering  the  faces  of 
unfortunate  wayfarers.  Busy  men  rushed  up  and 
down  the  streets,  with  great  coats  buttoned  up  to 
their  ears,  and  hats  drawn  over  their  eyes.  Early 
lights  gleamed  from  store  and  office  windows. 
Carriages  rattled  noisily  over  the  stones  in  the  streets 
of  St.  P .  One,  driven  rapidly  through  the  princi 
pal  thoroughfares  and  up  a  roadway  artificially  cut 
in  the  bluff  side,  entered  the  gate  and  swept  up  the 
drive  to  the  door  of  the  residence  of  the  late  Mr. 
Pierre  La  Moore.  Eugene  sprang  out  and  assisted 
Annette,  who  was  waiting  with  hand  outstretched  at 
the  open  door  for  Miannetta,  when  Marian,  in  full 
dress,  rushed  down  the  steps,  saying  impatiently : 

' '  So  you  have  come  at  last !  Where  is  La 
Moore  ? " 

Annette,  laying  her  hand  restrainingly  upon  her 
arm,  replied  : 

' '  Speak  that  name  softly,  Marian  !  He  will  never 
answer  to  it  more." 

"Why?  Is  he  dead?  Why  do  you  call  me 
'  Marian,'  girl  ?  Speak  !  explain  yourself !  " 

Just  then  she  was  attracted  by  the  lady  clad  in 


420  MAPLE   RANGE. 

deep  widow's  weeds,  that  Eugene  was  helping  from 
the  carriage.  The  eyes  of  the  two  women  met.  The 
usurper  staggered  to  the  steps  of  the  home  she  felt 
was  even  now  no  longer  hers,  and  blinded,  overcome 
by  conflicting  emotions,  sat  down.  Miannetta  kindly 
took  her  arm  and  said  : 

"  Come  in,  Marian!  It  is  very  cold;  "  but  she  shook 
her  off,  and  recovering  herself,  replied  defiantly : 

' '  I  know  La  Moore  is  dead,  or  you  would  not 
dare  to  come  here  ;  but  the  lawyers  hold  the  papers 
which  will  decide  who  shall  say  '  Come  in  '  to  this 
house,  madam !  Summon  them  directly,  Eugene, 
for  La  Moore  made  his  will  years  ago. "  Rising  and 
leading  the  way  haughtily  into  the  broad  hall,  she 
threw  open  the  door  of  the  reception  room  at  the  left 
hand,  and  bowing  very  graciously,  said,  as  her  eyes 
again  met  Miannetta's  : 

' '  We  receive  transient  visitors  in  this  room. " 

Without  heeding  her,  Miannetta  passed  on  and 
followed  Annette,  who  opened  the  brilliantly  lighted 
parlor,  and  bowing  her  mother  affectionately  in,  tall, 
pretty  Josie,  now  almost  a  woman,  was  once  more 
folded  in  her  arms.  Pierre  soon  came  in,  with 
eager  inquiry  for  supper.  He  was  a  ruddy-faced 
little  Frenchman,  and  rejoiced  to  see  his  mother, 
whom  he  remembered  dimly  "  as  the  big  Injin  woman 
that  hugged  him  in  the  carriage  till  he  could  n't 
breath,"  the  afternoon  of  their  ride,  long  ago. 

After  supper,  which  Marian  refused  to  partake  of 
with  Miannetta,  Eugene  took  Josie  and  Pierre  into 
Annette's  room,  and  told  them  of  the  death  of  their 
father  ;  and  their  sorrow  was  deep  and  true,  for  they 


BEADING    THE    WILL.  421 

had  loved  him  who,  of  late  years,  had  been  more  affec 
tionate  and  loving  with  them.  Marian  sent  for  Eugene, 
and  again  bade  him  summon  the  legal  gentlemen 
who  had  custody  of  his  father's  papers. 

u  We  had  better  wait  till  to-morrow,  Marian. 
Mother  is  very  tired,  and  poor  Josie  and  Pierre  are 
grieving  bitterly,"  said  Eugene. 

"  And  am  I  nothing  in  this  house  ?  If  your  father 
were  here,  you  would  not  dare  call  another  woman 
'  mother,'  or  address  me  as  Marian.  I  will  not  be  set 
aside  thus.  I  will  show  you  my  legal  authority  here, 
and,  by  the  permission  your  father's  will  has  given 
me,  I  will  drive  this  intruder  from  beneath  the  roof 
that  can  not  shelter  us  both,  even  for  one  night." 

"•  As  you  insist,  I  will  then  summon  the  attorney  ; 
but  you  are  the  only  one,  Marian,  who  is  anxious  to 
hear  father's  will ;  the  rest  of  us  willingly  would  wait 
a  decorous  time,"  said  Eugene. 

"Talk  of  decorum,  with  Satan  standing  at  your 
elbow  disputing  your  rights,  intercepting  the  com 
monest  courtesies  and  even  appropriating  your  title — 
decorum,  indeed  ! " 

An  hour  afterward,  wheels  were  heard  rumbling 
up  to  the  house,  and  in  a  few  minutes  the  parlor  door 
was  flung  open.  With  some  ceremony,  the  attorney, 
no  other  than  Herbert  Gray,  was  ushered  in,  followed 
by  a  handsome  lad  carrying  a  small  box.  He 
advanced  and  met  Eugene's  salutation  cordially.  A 
glance  at  "Miannetta  was  followed  by  a  few  pleasant 
words  of  recognition.  Her  smiling  greeting  of  the 
attorney's  assistant  induces  us  to  look  again.  As  he 
crosses  the  room  to  put  his  box  upon  a  table,  we 


422  MAPLE   RANGE. 

notice  a  slight  limp  in  his  gait  and  a  habit  of  putting 
the  right  foot,  which  he  evidently  regards  as  the  best 
one,  forward — a  habit,  by  the  way,  which  will  stick  to 
him  through  life,  and  eventually  lead  our  old  tree- 
climbing  friend,  Tad  Wilson,  to  a  seat  in  the  halls  of 
our  national  capitol. 

After  some  short  preliminaries,  Herbert  read,  in 
a  clear  voice,  La  Moore's  last  wTill  and  testament.  It 
read  thus  : 

"  'Know  all  men,  by  these  presents,  that  I,  Pierre 
La  Moo-re,  being  of  sound  mind,  do  hereby  give  and 
bequeath  to  my  beloved  wife,  Miannetta,  all  right 
and  title  to  the  property  hereinafter  mentioned,  the 
same  being  originally  her  lawful  inheritance  ;  and  I 
also  recommend  to  her  fostering  care  my  seven  chil 
dren.  '  " 

Then  followed  the  descriptions  of  property  and 
the  usual  legal  formulas,  and  Herbert  was  deliberately 
folding  up  the  instrument,  when,  with  a  voice  clear 
and  cold  as  steel,  Marian  said  : 

"Read  on,  sir  !  " 

"There  is  nothing  more  to  read,  madam  !  " 

"  What !  "  she  shrieked,  "  am  I  left  at  the  mercy 
of  this  squaw  ?  my  children  delivered  over  to  Indian 
tenderness  ?  Give  me  that  instrument !  Let  me  see 
if  I  can  not  prove  to  you  that  Pierre  La  Moore  was 
more  just  to  me." 

She  snatched  desperately  at  the  hated  paper,  but 
Herbert  was  on  his  guard,  and,  drawing  it  back, 
placed  it  again  under  lock  and  key,  while  the 
room  rang  with  the  wretched  Avoman's  cries  and 
hysterical  laughter.  Miannetta  advanced  and  placed  in 


EEADING   THE    WILL.  423 

Herbert's  hand  to  read,  a  document,  which  proved  to  be 
a  deed  to  a  farm  on  Lake  Onondaga,  which  had  been 
given  her  by  Sam-o-so-nois  after  her  separation  from 
her  family.  Marian  received  the  assurance  from 
Herbert  that  to-morrow  she  should  be  in  possession 
of  a  new  instrument,  by  which  the  highly  cultivated 
farm,  with  its  stock  and  appurtenances,  would  be  hers 
— Miannetta's  gift.  This  seemed  to  rather  subdue 
the  ravings  of  the  woman,  who  had  only  seen  poverty 
and  persecution  in  the  future,  and  she  quietly  listened, 
as  Miannetta  addressed  her — 

"Marian  Ramsdell,  you  are  troubled  about  your 
children;  now  I  hold  that  to  every  woman  whom  God 
permits  to  become  a  mother,  there  is  given  an  un 
questioned  right,  one  which  man's  cruelty  or  adverse 
circumstances  may  thwart,  but  can  not  destroy — the 
right  to  nourish,  educate  and  rear  her  child.  I  so  far 
sympathise  with  you,  as  to  think  it  a  cruel  act  on  the 
part  of  my  husband  to  leave  your  children  to  my 
care.  Rather  than  bear  the  weight  of  complicity  in 
this  act  on  my  soul,  I  will  place  it  in  your  power  to 
generously  care  for  your  children  yourself.  I  will 
not  mock  you  with  an  offer  of  a  home  under  this 
roof.  As  to  our  past  relations,  Marian,  '  let  the  dead 
past  bury  its  dead. ' ' 

That  night  the  same  roof  sheltered  both — the  noble 
woman  who  had  so  much  cause  to  spurn  from  her 
restored  threshold  the  creature  who  would  have 
driven  her  forth  in  the  inclement  night,  if  their  rela 
tions  had  been  reversed  ;  and  the  woman  who  shrank 
humiliated  and  cowed  by  the  unexpected  kindness, 
from  Miannetta's  glance. 


4:24:  MAPLE   KANGE. 

The  next  day  she  received  from  Miannetta  five 
hundred  dollars.  With  her  children  she  departed,  un- 
regretted,  from  the  home  on  the  bluff,  where  so  long 
she  had  been  undisputed  mistress,  save  for  the  haunt 
ing  shadow  now  quickened  into  life. 

It  was  almost  beyond  Marian  RamsdeLTs  compre 
hension  that  Miannetta  should  have  thrown  a  veil 
over  the  dishonored  brow,  where  most  women  would 
have  placed  the  brand  of  harlot,  compelling  her  in 
shame  to  seek  the  bread  which  the  man  who  had  ru 
ined  her  had  failed  to  provide.  Alas  !  that  such  char 
ity  should  be  so  rare.  That  for  a  woman,  who 
yields  weakly  to  the  allurements  of  vice,  and  finds,  too 
late,  that  men  betray,  women  have  the  least  compas 
sion.  That,  too  often,  the  hand  that  throws  the 
first  stone  is  the  white  hand  of  a  sister,  in  whose  soul 
is  not  the  faintest  stirring  of  that  Spirit  which 
prompted  the  Divine  sentence: 

"Neither  do  I  condemn  thee;  sin  no  more." 

"  Let  me  abide  in  shade,  I  have  followed  the 
sequestered  and  lowly  paths  during  the  meridian  of 
my  life,  and  now,  in  its  evening,  it  is  not  meet  that 
I  should  sit  upon  the  mountain  top,"  Miannetta 
answered,  when  Eugene  proposed  her  taking  her 
place  at  the  head  of  the  table.  This  had  settled  the 
matter  for  the  present.  Later  the  question  was  again 
debated,  when  she  replied: 

"I  have  no  ambition  but  to  live  with  you;  I  do 
not  wish  to  assume  any  responsible  position." 

"But,  mother,  we  must  have  some  one  to  pour 
coffee  and  do  the  honors.  Since  our  year  of  mourning 
is  expired,  no  doubt  Robert  will  press  his  suit  again  j 


READING    THE    WILL.  425 

indeed,  he  has  been  very  considerate  and  patient  in 
view  of  all  his  disappointments  and  crosses.  For 
this  reason  I  speak;  Annette  is  as  good  as  gone,  you 
know." 

' '  Well,  my  son,  since  you  seem  so  impressed  with 
the  importance  of  a  mistress  to  this  house,  which  is 
unquestionably  yours,  I  will  leave  you  to  settle  the 
matter  to  your  own  satisfaction.  I  like  to  see  you 
look  about  with  such  evident  carefulness." 

' ;  You  are  making  fun  of  me,  I  see  ;  well,  you 
have  had  so  few  things  to  laugh  at,  dear  mother,  that 
I  do  not  grudge  you  one  smile  at  my  expense.  My 
only  desire  is  to  increase  the  number  of  your  smiles — 
they  become  you,  mother." 

"Thank  you,  my  son." 

How  bright  the  lining  of  a  cloud  may  be,  aye, 
almost  dazzling  to  the  eyes  of  the  poor  sufferer,  who 
has  been  so  long  unconscious  of  brightness  or 
gloom.  Personal  loveliness  had  come  to  be  coir 
sidered  unimportant  to  Miannetta,  but  it  must  be 
admitted  she  was  gratified  at  Eugene's  affectionate 
compliment. 

Eugene  was  a  cultivated  Frenchman,  loved  to  have 
all  his  surroundings  beautiful,  and  the  face  of  his 
precious  mother  was  no  exception.  His  was  a  re 
fined  artistic  eye  that  delighted  in  harmony,  and  he 
loved  the  beautiful  in  all  the  works  of  nature  and  her 
rival  art.  He  admired  his  mother's  dark  regal 
beauty,  but  I  shall  show  you  how  he  sought  to 
heighten  the  effect  of  that  beauty  by  contrast. 

Miannetta,   though  joyous,  had   still   the   pensive 
manner  and  calm  look  that  long  suffering  will  impart 
18* 


426  MAPLE   RANGE. 

and  indelibly  impress  upon  spirit  and  brow.  Though 
sometimes  she  would  seem  quite  gay,  yet  it  was 
chastened  gladness  ;  she  had  been  bruised  upon  the 
remorseless  reefs  of  life's  ocean,  and  though  now 
healed,  she  was  taking  from  her  Father's  loving  hand, 
the  hand  that  chastened,  the  convenient  morsel  in  thank 
ful  humility.  Her  drafts  were  honored  in  Canada, 
cashed  in  France,  but  she  valued  money  only  as  it 
furnished  the  means  to  be  gracious  and  useful. 

How  much  more  truly  has  she  earned  the  meed 
of  lofty  womanhood,  in  patiently  accepting  the  cup 
of  bitterness  held  to  her  quivering  lips,  and  draining 
it  without  protesting  word,  than  some  of  her  fairer 
sisters,  who,  with  less  than  half  her  sorrow,  have 
haunted  divorce  courts,  with  importunate  prayers  for 
relief  from  conjugal  infelicities,  caused  by  grievous 
incompatibilities  of  temper,  that  patience  and  grace 
perchance  might  cure. 

Many  will  say  that  Miannetta  ought  to  have  yield 
ed  to  the  mother's  intense  yearning  for  her  children, 
and  sought  to  compel  their  father  to  restore  them  to 
her ;  that  she  should  have  sought  redress,  and  not  sub 
mitted  tamely  to  such  treatment.  Well,  reader,  we 
will  not  say  but  what,  in  spite  of  the  noble  resigna 
tion  and  courage  which  enabled  her  to  live  under  her 
sorrows,  Miannetta  might  have  yielded  to  the  longing 
for  her  children  ;  but,  you  must  remember,  she  was 
only  an  Indian  in  the  eyes  of  the  law,  which  provides 
no  redress  for  such  as  she. 


THE   WEDDINGS.  427 

CHAPTER   XXI. 

THE   WEDDINGS. 

T3OBERT  led  Annette  to  the  altar  in  April,  the 
-J- AJ  second  following  Mr.  La  Moore's  death,  a 
quiet  party  attending.  They  were  married  according 
to  the  Roman  Catholic  ritual — Robert  believing  that 
Christian  courtesy  required  so  much  of  his  leaning  to 
the  faith  of  Annette.  Eugene  and  Nellie  gave  counten 
ance  to  the  union  by  supporting  the  principals  during 
the  solemn  ceremony,  and  accompanying  them  on  their 
bridal  tour  through  Canada  to  the  sea-board,  and 
thence  over  the  bosom  of  the  Atlantic  to  New  Orleans, 
and  from  there,  after  visiting  the  battle-field  where 
Robert  lost  his  good  right  arm,  by  steam  up  the 
Father  of  Waters,  home.  By  Eugene's  account,  they, 
himself  and  Nellie,  were  the  only  ones  of  the  party 
who  reaped  any  benefit  from  the  long  journey. 

"  Robert  and  Nettie  were  so  thoroughly  absorbed 
in  one  another,  that  they  might  as  well  have  been  on 
the  island  of  Juan  Fernandez,"  he  said. 

In  fact,  the  sight-seeing  could  have  been  all  done 
by  the  bridesmaid  and  best  man,  and  the  result 
for  the  groom  and  bride  been  just  the  same.  Whether 
it  would  have  been  all  the  same  to  them,  without 
the  tantalizing  eifects  of  a  constant  contemplation 
of  the  bliss  of  the  newly  wedded  pair,  is  not  so  clear. 
Without  discussing  possible  results,  we  will  merely 


428  MAPLE    BANGE 

state  the  fact  that  Nellie,  our  pearly  Nellie,  was 
changed  by  that  trip.  She  was  riot  less  pearly,  but 
more  exquisitely  radiant,  as  if  her  cheek  had  been 
touched  by  the  breezes  from  the  promised  land. 

It  was  late  in  the  evening  of  the  balmy  May-time 
when  the  bridal  party  disembarked  from  the  steamer 
at  St.  P — ,  and  were  driven  to  the  residence  on  the 
bluff.  Before  long  they  had  exchanged  their  travel 
ing  dresses  for  comfortable  home  suits,  and  were 
seated  at  the  sumptuous  table  awaiting  them.  It  was 
an  informal  meal,  though  luxuries  and  dainties  of 
every  kind  tempted  their  appetites.  They  were  not 
so  hungry  as  glad  to  be  home.  Annette  declared  it  "  a 
luxury  to  preside  over  a  table  where  ceremony  was 
tabooed  and  she  could  pick  her  own  chicken  bones." 

The  business  which  most  interested  Pierre  being 
over,  namely,  the  eating,  and  Josie  having  pocketed 
rather  more  than  her  share  of  the  dessert,  the  two 
exchanged  glances.  Pierre  said  "  Old"  and  they 
excused  themselves.  Miannetta,  after  a  little  time, 
begged  leave  to  follow  them.  As  she  stood  in  the 
lighted  hall,  unperceived,  watching  her  two  youngest 
children  through  the  open  parlor  door,  Eugene 
joined  her.  She  put  her  finger  to  her  lip  to  enjoin 
silence,  at  the  same  time  pointing  to  Pierre.  Her 
youngest,  her  hopeful,  was  seated,  or  rather,  was 
lying  with  the  small  of  his  back  on  the  edge  of  a 
large  upholstered  arm-chair,  in  front  of  the  grate, 
his  toes  making  a  desperate  effort  to  cling  to  the  edge 
of  the  ornamental  mantel  above,  a  large  cigar  between 
his  second  and  third  fingers,  the  big  end  of  which 
was  in  his  mouth.  His  footing,  insecure,  was  ren- 


THE   WEDDINGS.  429 

dorc  (I  all  the  more  so  that  his  faculties  were  all  con 
centrated  in  the  cigar. 

Josie,  who  was  sitting  with  her  back  toward  him, 
examining  some  fine  drawings  Eugene  had  brought 
home,  becoming  impatient  because  he  had  not  given 
any  sign  of  noticing  her  remark,  several  times 
repeated,  with  a  more 'elevated  tone  of  voice,  said: 

"I  believe  it  is  just  as  certain  as  'communion 
day '  that  Eugene  and  Nellie  are  going  to  be  married  ; 
do  n't  }rou  ?  " 

No  answer  ;  but  Quite  a  respectable  suggestion  of 
tobacco  smoke. 

"  Pierre  La  Moore  !  are  you  deaf  ?  " 

"Whew!     No." 

"  Well,  why  don't  you  answer  me  ?  " 

"  I  am,  a  shaking  my  head  !  " 

A  shout  of  laughter  from  Eugene  and  his  mother 
followed,  while  a  pair  of  very  short  legs  were  observed 
getting  rapidly  out  of  the  front  door,  and  a  vision  of 
white  ruffles  at  the  same  time  fluttered  up  stairs  at 
such  a  rate  that  Eugene  shouted  : 

"'Less  speed  and  more  stairs,  Josie  ! " 

Miannetta,  with  a  happy  face,  turned  to  Eugene, 
and  looking  straight  into  his  eyes,  said  : 

"  I  agree  with  Josie,  Eugene  !  " 

"  I  agree  with  Josie,  mother,"  added  Eugene. 

"I  agree  with  Josie,  mother,"  added  Robert,  who 
came  out  to  see  "what  was  up,"  that  made  them 
laugh  so. 

Robert's  simple  remark  seemed  to  strike  Eugene 
as  very  witty,  for  he  was  taken  again  with  uncon 
trollable  laughter.  Then  turning,  he  said  : 


4:30  MAPLE    RANGE. 

"Well,  now,  since  the  elder,  the  sterner,  as  well 
&s  the  younger  members  of  the  family  decide  so 
unanimously  upon  the  probability  of  my  conduct,  I 
should  like  to  gratify  them  by  an  immediate  fulfillment 
of  their  prophecies." 

"  What  is  to  prevent  ? "  said  Miannetta. 

"  What,  indeed  ? "  said  Robert,  beaming  at  a  pos 
sible  reflection  of  his  own  happiness. 

"Perhaps,"  said  Miannetta,  "  it  would  be  as  well 
to  discover  the  sentiments  of  another  equally  inter 
ested  party." 

"And  I  believe  I  shall  be  obliged  to  inquire  what 
we  are  talking  about,"  said  Robert,  who  was  not 
quite  clear  on  the  subject. 

"Suppose  we  all  seek  enlightenment,"  said  Eu 
gene,  leading  the  way  to  the  room  they  recently  left, 
without  apparently  disturbing  the  young  ladies  still 
sitting  at  the  table  from  which,  however,  the  cloth 
had  been  removed.  They  did  not  appear  to  notice  the 
entrance  of  the  trio ;  but  Nellie's  rising  color  was  a 
true  tell-tale,  and  induced  Annette  to  look  from  her 
face  up  to  that  of  Eugene,  who  was  bending  over  her 
chair  and  whispering  to  her  : 

"  Nellie,  will  you  pity  me  ?  " 

"  Yes,  what  for?  "  she  said,  laughing. 

"That  sentiment  proverbially  leads  to — ,"  he 
stooped  and  whispered  the  last  word  into  the  pearly 
ear,  and  then  as  Nellie,  blushing  crimson,  turned  her 
tell-tale  glances  upwards,  he  said  aloud  : 

"  Yours  is  the  task  of  refining  a  wayward  French 
man;  will  you  attempt  it  ?  Will  you  be  my  Avife  ?  " 

He  put  his  hands  each  side  of  her  head  over  the 


THE   WEDDINGS.  431 

delicate  ears,  and  drew  her  face  up  toward  his  own. 
With  an  expression  of  unutterable  fondness  he  gazed 
down  into  her  pure  heart  through  the  beautiful  azure 
of  her  eyes.  But  I  just  happen  to  think  it  is  treason 
to  my  favorite  Nellie,  to  tell  what  she  said  on  that 
interesting  occasion. 

A  few  days  afterward  another  wedding  gladdens 
the  heart  of  Miannetta. 

Kobert  gives  away  the  bride.  It  is  the  rich  manly 
voice  of  Eugene,  that  says: 

"With  this  ring  I  thee  wed." 

And  'tis  Nellie  that  lifts  a  calm  and  holy  brow  to 
the  kiss  of  her  adoring  husband. 

The  bells  clang  out  a  wedding  peal,  the  sunlight 
streams  through  the  colored  windows,  and  bathes 
with  a  flood  of  glory  the  happy  twain,  made  one. 

An  hour  later  the  same  party  are  passing  through 
the  noble  hall  of  the  La  Moore  mansion,  toward  the 
large  dining-room.  Eugene,  tall  and  elegant,  with  a 
grace  that  recalls  olden  times,  leads  Nellie  to  the 
breakfast  table,  and  crowns  her  mistress  of  his 
magnificent  board.  All  regard  her  with  admiration 
as,  with  perfect  composure,  she  performs  this  house 
wifely  duty,  rather  trying,  you  will  admit,  this  first 
morning  of  her  wifehood. 

Later  a  carriage  drove  up  to  the  door  drawn  by 
two  superb  white  horses,  whose  bright  coats,  resetted 
heads,  and  silver  mounted  harness,  shone  brightly  in 
the  morning  sun.  Eugene  led  the  young  bride  forth, 
assisted  and  followed  her  into  the  carriage.  On  the 
porch,  puffy  and  gracious,  stood  the  old,  but  still 
dapper,  French  butler,  Casper,  whose  services  with 


432  MAPLE   RANGE. 

the  family  extended  back  to  the  old  days,  sacred  to 
the  memory  of  Montfort,  and  gave  him  an  import 
ance  and  dignity  which  the  other  servants  failed  to 
satisfactorily  recognize.  He  smiled  in  answer  to  the 
coachman's  saucy  bow  and  wink.  The  latter,  drawing 
himself  up  pompously  on  the  box,  swung  his  long 
whiplash  dexterously  round,  caused  the  horses  to 
rear  and  plunge,  then  go  off  with  a  bound. 

Another  equally  elegant  equipage  drew  up. 
Robert  and  Annette,  with  more  consideration  for 
other  people  (but  they  were  old  married  people  now), 
paused  on  the  porch  talking  with  Mianetta,  Josie  and 
Pierre. 

Robert  handed  Annette  in  and  took  his  seat 
beside  her  just  as  the  old  family  carriage,  with  trusty 
Lavergn  on  the  box,  came  to  the  door.  Miannetta 
and  her  two  younger  children  were  soon  seated,  and 
Lavergn,  as  Pierre  insisted  he  should  do — 

"  Gave  the  horses  their  heads  !  " 

That  young  gentleman  was  delighted  to  see  that 
they  held  their  own  well  with  the  "  new  spankers  " 
Eugene  had  just  purchased,  and  were  as  often  ahead 
as  behind  in  that  week's  journey. 

It  was  night  when  the  three  carriages  rolled  up 
the  fine  drive  under  the  grand  old  maples,  where  we 
have  been  so  often,  and  so  delight  to  be.  The  house 
is  brilliantly  lighted  up  and  all  is  in  perfect  readiness 
to  receive  them,  even  to  proud  little  Freddie  Palmer. 
Uncle  Carce  and  grandma,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Ellis  have 
come  over  to  welcome  home  the  young  people, 
whom  they  love  as  their  own.  Every  eye  is  wet 
when  Robert  leads  his  beautiful  wife  to  the  table,  and 


THE    WEDDINGS.  433 

seats  her  where  his  mother  sat.  It  is  the  law  of  life 
to  forget  the  old  loves  in  the  new,  but  by  the 
momentary  pallor  of  his  cheek,  we  know  that  his 
thoughts,  even  in  this  moment  of  supreme  happiness, 
revert  to  his  mother. 

Later  in  the  evening,  Mr.  McDougal  led  Nellie  to 
the  piano,  and  Avas  rewarded  with  his  favorite  air, 
rendered  with  a  sweetness  and  feeling  which  charmed 

vZ> 

the  quiet  Scotchman.  His  eyes  glistened  with  a  ten 
der  light  as  the  gentle  musician  sang: 

"  It's  hame,  and  it's  hame,  and  it's  hame  I  fane  wad  be; 
O  hame,  hame,  hame  to  my  ain  countrie; 
There's  an  e'e  that  ever  weeps,  and  a  fair  face  will  be  fain, 
As  I  pass  through  Annan  water  wi'  my  bonny  band  again. 
When  the  flower  is  i'  the  bud,  and  the  leaf  upo'  the  tree, 
The  lark  shall  sing  me  hame  in  my  ain  countrie." 

Afterwards  Robert  and  she  sang  and  played  the 
dear  old — 

"  Home  again,  home  again  from  a  distant  shore.1' 

Then  Annette  played  some  fine  pieces,  and  sang 
with  Eugene  some  beautiful  French  airs  ;  and  the 
house  rang  with  the  music  of  their  fine  voices. 

After  the  music  the  two  brides  withdrew  and 
returning  in  a  few  minutes,  crossed  the  room  grace 
fully  together,  each  bearing  in  her  hand  a  vase. 

"York  true  to  York,  and  Lancaster  to  Lancaster," 
said  Mr.  McDougal,  as  the  two  distinctly  contrasting 
types  of  beauty  advanced  and  presented  to  Mrs.  Mc 
Dougal  the  vases,  that  had  been  her  mother's  ' '  Lang 
Syne'." 

2C  19 


434  MAPLE    RANGE. 

After  this  the  evening  wore  on  pleasantly,  en 
livened  by  the  bright  chit  chat  of  the  ladies  (remem 
ber  Mrs.  Ellis  and  grandma  Smith  are  of  the  party), 
and  apt  retort  follows  sally  briskly,  while  merry 
laughter  succeeds  to  both.  Now  the  gentlemen  of 
the  party  seem  to  be  drawing  together,  attracted  by 
the  tendency  to  politics,  which  some  one  has  infused 
into  their  talk.  As  the  gay  voices  of  the  ladies  are 
now  subdued,  that  they  may  listen  to  the  views  which 
they  know  will  be  well  put  and  forcibly  maintained; 
we  will  listen  too,  and  hear  what  our  friends  have  to 
say. 

'T  is  our  frank  and  impulsive  Eugene  that  speaks, 
evidently  in  reply  to  some  remark  of  Robert's,  which 
we  have  failed  to  catch — 

"I  will  agree  to  do  all  that  work  for  you,  Rob, 
till  your  arm  grows  out  again.  I  confess  that  empty 
sleeve  of  yours  is  a  perpetual  reproach  to  me,  remind 
ing  me  as  often  as  I  look  upon  it  that  I  had  no  share 
in  the  double  glory  attaching  to  the  humblest  soldier, 
who  has  earned,  not  only  the  fame  of  well-fought 
battles,  on  victorious  fields,  but  the  still  nobler  merit 
of  having  aided  to  demolish  the  edifice  of  slavery 
that  so  long  shamed  the  Union." 

"  I  believe  I  can  fully  appreciate  your  regret  in 
having  had  no  share  in  the  war,"  said  Mr.  McDougal. 
'^  It  must  be  a  great  satisfaction  to  feel  that  you  have 
participated  in  the  perils  and  sacrifices  of  a  struggle, 
whose  results  are  for  all  time.  Lincoln  died  at  a 
moment  most  opportune  for  his  fame.  He  had  ac 
complished  great  things,  and  fell  with  his  grandeur 
undimmed  by  any  commonplace  statesmanship." 


THE   WEDDINGS.  435 

"It  is  a  satisfaction  to  those  who  have  lost  their 
limbs  in  the  war,  that  the  sacrifice  has  not  been  in  vain. 
Blood  has  been  poured  out  and  human  life  laid  down 
upon  the  altar  of  our  country,  and  great  is  the  result," 
said  Robert.  "There  is  no  merit  in  claiming  to  feel 
indifferent  to  the  honor  of  having  shared  in  the  sacri 
fices  entailed  by  the  war.  I  lost  my  limb  in  a  strug 
gle  that  destroyed  a  monument  of  oppression,  for 
slavery  did  not  pass  away  by  the  slow  process  of  in 
herent  decay,  but  by  a  sublime  stroke,  which  we  must 
recognize  as  legitimately  God's  act." 

"And  Lincoln,  as  God's  agent,  for  that  stroke 
lies  to-day  in  a  martyr's  grave,"  said  Capt.  Ellis.  "  I 
sometimes  almost  lose  myself  in  contemplating  the 
numerous  results  of  the  war.  It  is  scarcely  six  years 
since  we  heard  the  first  premonitory  murmur  of  a 
gathering  tempest.  Men  were  doubtful  if  it  would 
come,  and  read  differently  the  handwriting  on  the  wall. 
Time  sped  on,  and  though  the  heaven  was  angry  with 
storms,  yet  in  its  lightning  flashes  we  saw  new  ideas 
that  dazzled  us,  in  the  thunder  we  felt  old  institutions 
crumbling.  Through  all  we  heard  a  mysterious 
moaning.  It  was  the  future,  pregnant  with  the  des 
tiny  of  a  race.  Six  years,  and  the  cloud,  no  larger 
than  a  man's  hand,  has  enveloped  our  sky  with  gloom, 
and  again  has  rolled  away.  In  this  time  a  republic 
has  proven  to  a  doubting  world  that  she  is  self-sus 
taining,  that  she  is  powerful  to  quiet  her  internal  dis 
sensions  and  subdue  domestic  strife." 

' '  Lincoln  died  at  an  hour  when  his  glory  was 
brightest,  for  his-  public  acts  were  graduated,  the 
greatest,  the  emancipation  of  the  negro,"  said  Rob- 


4:36  MAPLE   RANGE. 

ert.  "  But  if  he  could  have  lived  to  accomplish  the 
work  of  reconstruction,  before  the  expiration  of  his 
second  terra,  our  position  would  have  been  the  grand 
est  in  the  galaxy  of  nations." 

"  I  agree  with  you,"  said  uncle  Carce,  "  that  the 
emancipation  was  the  greatest.  Of  his  other  public 
acts  I  generally  approve,  but  one  of  them  was  un 
worthy.  I  did  think  of  him  as  among  men  the  most 
perfect,  till  he  declined  to  punish  the  larger  portion 
of  the  cruel  murderers  of  my  neighbors,  until  he 
exempted  the  Indians,  fairly  tried  and  condemned,  of 
the  doom  their  wicked  deeds  had  incurred.  In  that 
act  there  was  no  justice.  He  seemed  to  say  to  the 
outraged  people  of  Minnesota,  Whatever  the  court- 
martial  may  have  determined — though  murder  and 
other  crimes  may  be  laid  by  them  at  the  red  man's 
door ;  though  the  frontiersman  may  tremble  in  fear, 
/,  sitting  secure  in  my  high  place,  think  it  best  to 
reverse  the  decision  of  the  military  commission,  and 
give  these  Indians  another  chance.  Even  Lincoln  was 
not  superior  to  the 'conservatism  that  clings  to  power. 
He  was  unjust  to  Minnesota,  and  we  shall  have  another 
deluge  of  blood  to  pay  for  the  commutation  of  the 
death  sentence  at  Mankato." 

"I  do  not  altogether  agree  with  you,  uncle  Carce," 
returned  Capt.  Ellis.  "  Lincoln's  course  with  the 
convicted  Indians  was  in  perfect  accord  with  the  hu 
mane  policy  with  which  he  prosecuted  the  war.  He 
followed  the  precedent  of  other  nations  in  the  execu 
tion  of  a  percentage  of  the  condemned,  the  thirty-six 
hanged  at  Mankato.  He  aimed  to  destroy  the  walls 
of  prejudice  against  color  and  condition  of  the  negro 


THE   WEDDINGS.  437 

and  the  Indian.  His  efforts  opened  our  eyes,  as  the 
eyes  of  the  Egyptians  were  opened,  to  a  recognition 
of  universal  brotherhood.  But  through  the  whirl 
wind  of  battle,  amid  the  conflicting  doubts  of  other 
statesmen,  he  walked  stately  and  slow,  with  right  for 
his  guiding  star,  'God  for  his  judge,  and  history  for 
his  vindication.' ' 

"Your  figures  are  very  nice,  neighbor,"  said  un 
cle  Carce,  ''but  how  in  the  name  of  all  that's  sensible 
can  brotherhood  be  established  between  the  whites 
who  have  been  so  cruelly  wronged  and  those  savage 
wretches  over  the  border,  who  committed  those 
wrongs  and  are  watching  a  chance  to  repeat  them  ?  " 

"By  brotherly  integrity,  by  education  and  enlight 
enment,  "was  the  pleasant  reply.  "No  doubt  it  was 
Lincoln's  policy  to  revolutionize  the  whole  Indian  sys 
tem  ;  to  impose  laws  and  their  wholesome  restraints 
upon  the  savages,  who,  with  all  the  national  benefi 
cences,  have  never  realized  that  most  desirable  one  of 
good  government.  You  have  expressed  the  sentiment 
that  wickedness  never  goes  backward,  and  it  is  true. 
The  tendency  of  the  unregenerate  human  heart,  when 
left  to  itself,  is  toward  evil.  The  Indians  have  gone 
down  so  low  that  goodness  per  se  is  a  mere  tradition. 
The  age  requires  that  they  should  be  brought  to  a 
recognition  of  it." 

"  Now  you  are  getting  upon  firm  ground,"  said 
uncle  Carce,  approvingly.  "  We  can  cross  palms  on 
that  sentiment.  But  we  shall  never  bring  them  to 
practical  goodness  without  holding  them  in  fear  of 
penalties  when  they  outrage  its  principles.  If,  as 
often  as  they  commit  crime,  they  are  turned  loose 


438  MAPLE   RANGE. 

upon  the  frontier  without  a  reprimand,  how  are  they 
to  know  good  from  evil  ?  How  shall  they  be  brought 
to  this  recognition  ?  " 

"  By  the  process  of  reason.  The  light  of  educa 
tion  and  religion  may  be  made  to  illume  even  the 
Indian  system ;  to  flood  with  its  glory  the  recesses 
of  the  forest,"  said  Capt.  Ellis,  earnestly. 

"Would  you  apply  such  fine  ideas  to  a  race  so  low 
in  the  scale  of  being  that  they  balance  human  life 
with  a  pair  of  stolen  moccasins  ?  whose  deserts  would 
be  met  if  you  loosed  the  hurricane  and  swept  them 
them  from  the  earth  they  cumber  ?  "  said  the  old 
gentleman,  with  a  curling  lip  and  eyes  aflame,  while 
his  voice  grew  harsh  with  contempt. 

"I  would  insist  that  enlightenment  is  possible 
where  there  is  reason  enough  to  weigh,"  replied  Cap 
tain  Ellis.  "  You  must  acknowledge  it  a  grade  above 
the  brute,  though  the  scales  may  be  unfairly  adjusted. 
Where  tornadoes  are  most  frequent,  the  shore  is 
strewn  with  wreck.  Hurricanes  are  not  discriminat 
ing.  They  sweep  away  much  more  than  rubbish  ; 
and  if  employed  to  purify  the  air  every  year,  and  to 
eradicate  every  evil,  how  soon  would  our  land  become 
a  charnel-house  of  ruin  !  Reform  is  slow  and  tedious  ; 
as  in  agriculture,  the  soil  must  be  prepared  for  the 
seed." 

"Sometimes,"  said  uncle  Carce,  smiling.  "You 
remember  that,  by  reason  of  deep  dry  sand,  even 
agriculture  is  not  triumphant ;  and  if  you  find  the 
intellect  of  the  Indian  very  far  below  the  surface — 
too  far  for  the  certain  germination  of  your  seed — 
then  what  would  you  do  ? " 


THE   WEDDINGS.  439 

"Excavate  and  unfetter  it,"  was  the  reply. 

"  Your  plan  is  too  Quixotic  !"  said  uncle  Carce. 
"It  entails  an  enormous  expense  of  treasure  and 
blood  ;  besides,  it  has  been  tried." 

-  "Not  thoroughly,"  continued  Captain  Ellis. 

"Yes,  so  thoroughly  as  to  have  proved  itself  a 
failure,"  said  uncle  Carce. 

"I  do  not  agree  with  you,"  was  the  reply. 
"I  could  show  you  some  marked  success  !  " 

"Not  in  Minnesota,  captain  !  and  I  am  too  much 
of  a  home  body  to  travel  out  of  the  State  to  see  them  ; 
but  I  can  cite  you  a  failure  within  twenty-five  miles," 
said  uncle  Carce.  "  I  have  seen  the  effort  and  the 
failure.  '  I  speak  that  I  do  know.'  Civilization  would 
have  gathered  the  Indians  under  her  wing  long 
ago,  but  they  would  not.  The  government  has  made 
prodigious  expenditure  for  their  elevation,  while  pay 
ing  them  generously  for  their  land.  They  have  been 
offered  every  inducement  to  abandon  their  tribal  rela 
tions,  and  to  remain  and  participate  in  its  cultivation 
and  advantages.  Churches  have  been  built  and 
schools  established  for  their  enlightenment.  Thou 
sands  of  acres  of  productive  lands  have  been 
broken,  fenced  and  seeded  ;  farm  houses  and  barns 
have  been  built  and  furnished  with  every  comfort ; 
teams  and  stock  and  agricultural  implements  abun 
dantly  furnished.  With  a  fraction  of  these  opportuni 
ties,  the  uneducated  of  our  own  race,  both  native  and 
foreign-born,  have  by  industry  and  thrift  established 
themselves  and  added  to  our  national  greatness  ;  while 
the  Indians,  with  a  few  noble  exceptions,  have  treated 
with  contempt  the  effort  made  for  them.  They  have 


440  MAPLE    RANGE. 

allowed  their  golden  harvest  to  fall  back  into  the 
earth  ;  the  soil,  for  want  of  culture,  to  run  again  to 
foul  waste.  The  comfortable  homes  have  been  aban 
doned  for  the  smoky  tepee.  The  advantages  of  soci 
ety  have  been  voluntarily  exchanged  for  the  wild  life 
of  the  wilderness.  As  the  march  of  empire  has 
advanced,  leveling  forests,  locating  farms  and  build 
ing  cities,  they  have  slowly  and  sullenly  retired  from 
the  great  good  they  were  invited  to  share  ;  turning, 
now  and  then,  like  some  wild  beast  at  bay,  and  raising 
their  red,  dripping  hands,  have  cried  :  '  No  farther 
shalt  thou  come,  save  through  rivers  of  blood  ! ' 
Come,  now,  can  you  deny  that  they  are  radically 
unworthy  of  further  effort  ?  that  all  fraternal  attempts 
are  simply  a  waste  of  pearls  ?  How,  in  the  face  of 
these  evidences  of  utter  moral  depravity  and  base 
ness,  can  you  swing  round  to  your  ideas  of  final 
enlightenment  and  elevation  ?  "  ^f 

"Very  easily  !  "  was  the  reply  ;  "  but,  in  the  first 
place,  allow  me  to  say  that  it  is  a  false  philosophy 
that  scoffs  at  the  natural  integrity  of  the  human 
heart.  I  deny  that  the  Indians  are  naturally  depraved 
or  worthless.  (I  must  have  the  benefit  of  this  position, 
or  decline  the  argument.)  That  they  are  so,  practi 
cally,  is  wholly  circumstantial,  and  largely  owing  to 
the  fact  that  they  are  capital  imitators,  and  their 
patterns  are  too  often  the  most  depraved  and  worth 
less  of  the  Anglo-Saxon  race.  You  can  not  deny  the 
fact  that  their  first  acquaintance  with  white  men  is 
often  with  the  basest  of  that  race,  unprincipled,  igno 
rant  traders,  or  refugees  from  justice,  who,  banished 
from  society,  have  crept  into  their  wigwams  and 


THE   WEDDINGS.  441 

wormed  themselves  into  their  confidence.  Even  their 
language  is  a  reproach  to  ours,  for  they  are  obliged 
to  resort  to  plagiarism  to  express  disrespect  of  the 
the  Great  Spirit.  Blasphemy  in  the  Indian  tongue  is 
impossible.  Missionaries  are  met  with  this  question  : 
'  Is  this  Jesus  you  preach  about,  the  same  Jesus  that 
the  white  men  talk  to  when  they  are  angry  or  drunk  ? ' 
Does  not  this,  of  itself,  show  that  their  impiety  is  a 
reflection  of  our  own  ?  You  were  frank  enough  to 
acknowledge  some  noble  exceptions  to  the  general 
worthlessness  of  the  Indian  character,  and  there  can 
be  no  question  as  to  their  preponderance  when  such 
white  men  as  Charles  Center  and  George  Langmere 
are  placed  in  the  scales  with  those  noble  aborigines — 
Wabashaw  and  Taopi. 

"  Go  back  in  history,  and  in  the  gloom  that  en 
velops  the  overthrown  columns  of  the  Syrian  desert, 
the  monuments  of  Egypt,  you  will  find  among  the 
monsters  there,  forms  of  majesty  and  worth. 
Through  the  darkness  of  crime  and  bloodshed  may 
be  seen  gleams  of  the  light  of  truth,  that  needed 
only  cultivation.  Though  men  were  debased  till  they 
revelled  in  the  false,  the  foul,  the  blasphemous — yet 
better  instincts  remained.  Can  you  find  among  the 
North  American  Indians,  a  living  picture  that  will 
compare  with  the  imbruted  sons  of  Rome,  rioting  in 
eternal  orgies,  consciously  wallowing  in  foulest  crime. 
History  tells  us  they  intoxicated  themselves  with 
human  blood  to  drown  despair.  Yet  even  they  were 
lifted  out  of  their  darkness,  reeking  with  corruption, 
into  the  light  of  day.  The  Sun  of  Christianity  rose, 
healing,  purifying,  and  elevating.  The  tide  of  cor- 


442  MAPLE  RANGE. 

ruption  was  arrested.  Men  abjured  their  heathen 
gods,  and  knelt  at  the  foot  of  the  Cross.  The  annals 
of  the  world  show  the  God-worshipping  instinct  of  the 
human  race,  that  leads  them  to  the  true  and  the  good, 
when  guided  aright,  and  exposed  to  no  contaminating 
influence.  But  they  who  presume  to  guide  must 
themselves  be  controlled  by  lofty  integrity — an  integ 
rity  which  teaches  faith  in  humanity  and  God. 

"  Now  what  influences  are  brought  to  bear  most 
powerfully  upon  the  Indians  ?  Does  the  sale  of  ar 
dent  spirits  teach  them  sobriety  ?  Do  the  licentious 
practices  of  white  men,  traders  and  agents,  teach 
them  virtue  and  fidelity  ?  Does  the  recklessness  and 
indifference  to  human  life  upon  the  frontier,  teach 
them  its  worth  ?  Does  the  system  of  extortion  and 
fraud  practiced  unblushingly,  aye,  even  boastingly, 
upon  them,  teach  them  honesty?  Does  shameless 
blasphemy  and  high-handed  impiety  teach  them  the 
love  of  God  ?  Because,  heretofore,  success  has  been 
the  exception,  failure  the  rule,  we  should  not  despair, 
but  calmly  criticize  the  system.  We  claim  to  be  a 
wise  and  magnanimous  people;  we  contribute  largely 
to  foreign  missions,  but  are  we  taking  the  course  that 
will  enable  us  to  answer  unembarrassed  the  great 
question  :  '  Where  is  thy  brother,  thy  wayward 
brother,  whom  men  called  Ishmael  ? '  We  have  a 
peculiar  people  upon  our  hands,  for  whose  weal  we 
are  responsible  to  God.  A  race  too  noble  to  live  in 
slavery  is  certainly  deserving  of  some  consideration. 
No  doubt  the  Indian  can  dimly  see  that  happiness 
and  prosperity  are  the  result  of  a  certain  routine  of 
schools  and  toil.  That  they  are  efficient  as  motives, 


THE   WEDDINGS.  443 

without  being  definitely  understood  by  the  white 
masses,  but  the  character  of  that  happiness  and  the 
routine  necessary  to  its  attainment,  repels  him.  He 
can  not  bear  the  restraint  of  school,  because  he  is 
Nature's  out-door  child.  He  despises  books,  because 
they  imply  restraint.  Society  and  its  laws  are  the 
modern  schoolhouses  and  restraints  on  a  larger  scale, 
and  he  spurns  them  royally,  as  he  would  the  slave- 
coffle  and  the  lash.  I  have  a  conviction  that  the  fail 
ure  to  Christianize  and  educate  the  Indians  lies  in 
part  in  the  clock-work  regularity  and  order  of  the 
system,  that  whatever  would  violate  its  uniformity 
would  give  it  impetus.  If  this  conviction  is  true,  no 
doubt  time  will  make  it  apparent  to  educators  and 
reformers,  and  change  will  come.  I  believe  that  we 
shall  see  that  this  race,  now  so  ignoble,  is  capable 
of  much  ;  that  they  are  able  to  think,  to  act,  to  rule, 
and  above  all  to  love  ;  that  with  the  negro  they  may 
occupy  equal  ground  with  us  on  the  great  platform 
of  humanity." 

' '  Well  I  shall  feel  the  less  regret  then  when 
Gabriel  blows  his  horn,"  said  uncle  Carce,  shaking  his 
head  and  laughing. 

"  Oh,  this  may  not  be  in  your  time.  It  may  be  an 
hundred  }^ears,"  said  Capt.  Ellis,  "  before  the  rosy 
light  just  glimmering  in  the  East,  the  fresh  light  of 
the  new  reformatory  age,  shall  from  noon-day  heights 
illuminate  the  glens  and  forests  of  the  West.  But  as 
certainly  as  the  barbarians  rose  to  the  level  of  Chris 
tian  manhood,  so  certainly  must  elevation  of  the 
Indian  follow  the  right  effort  of  a  superior  race,  to 


44A  MAPLE   RANGE. 

fulfill  the  duties  enjoined  by  a  just  and  impartial 
God." 

"  Well,  suppose  we  adjourn  the  argument  till  to 
morrow,  when  I  will  agree  to  commence  at  you  and 
talk  till  all  is  blue,"  said  uncle  Carce,  rising  and 
pointing  to  Eugene,  who,  it  was  observed,  was  con 
sulting  his  watch. 

u  Late,  is  it?"  said  Capt.  Ellis,  observing  for  the 
first  time,  that  the  ladies  had  all  retired. 

"  O  no,"  said  Eugene,  "  it  is  early,  not  quite  one 
o'clock  ;  and  Rob  is  actually  fast  asleep." 

The  gentlemen  had  soon  followed  the  example  of 
the  ladies,  and  the  house  was  so  still  that  only  the 
angels  seemed  to  be  guarding  the  Maples. 

Miannetta,  who,  instead  of  going  to  her  own  room, 
had  been  sitting  long  beside  her  husband's  grave, 
entered  the  moonlit  parlor  noiselessly.  The  piano 
was  still  open,  and  seating  herself  before  it,  wrapped 
in  her  own  thoughts,  she  almost  unconsciously  exe 
cuted  a  skillful  prelude  ;  then  evolving  from  the 
chords  an  impassioned  accompaniment,  her  magnifi 
cent  soprano,  that  for  years  had  been  dumb,  poured 
out  upon  the  silent  night,  the  anthem  : 

"  Glory  to  God  in  the  highest,   and  on  earth  peace,  goodwill 
toward  men." 

THE    END. 


THE  SUCCESS  OF  THE  YEAR. 

HAMMOCK  SERIES,  No.  i. 

"No   Gentlemen." 

The  brightest,  most  readable  and  entertaining  novel  of  the  season. 

WHAT  THE  PRESS  SAT  OF  IT. 

"  We  are  soon  amused,  interested  and  charmed.  Belonging  to  the  c\ate 
of  stories  popularly  called  '  bright,' and  published  judiciously  at  the 
opening  of  the  season  of  hammocks  and  piazzas,  it  is  far  more  read 
able  than  most  of  its  kind.  The  plot  is  not.  too  much  of  a  plot  for  a 
legitimate  New  England  story,  and  the  conversation  of  '  Jabe  '  is  racy 
enough  to  make  us  forget  that  we  were  tired  of  Yankee  dialect,  as 
treated  by  Mrs.  Stowe  and  Mrs  Whitney.  Indeed  the  book  ia 
thoroughly  enjoyable." — The  Critic,  New  York. 

"  No  Gentlemen  " 

"  Is  a  very  bright  and  readable  novel." — The  Commercial,  Louisville. 

"  No   Gentlemen  " 

"  Clearly  belongs  to  a  class  whose  highest  ambition  is  to  be  '  bright ' —  an 
ambition  which,  indeed,  is  seldom  more  fully  justified." — The  Dial. 

"  No  Gentlemen  " 

"  Is  readable,  bright  and  never  bores  one." — N.  Y.  Tribune. 

"  The  conversations  in  'No  Gentlemen'  are  bright,  the  characters  well 
drawn  and  adroitly  contrasted." — Am.  Bookseller,  N.  Y. 

"No  Gentlemen  " 

"  Is  written  in  a  bright,  fresh  style,  something  like  that  of  Mrs.  A.  D.  T. 
Whitney,  or  more  nearly,  perhaps,  that  of  the  author  of  Phyllis  and 
Molly  Bawn,  which  Is  to  say,  much  of  it.  *  *  Girl  graduates  of  the 
present  season,  into  whose  hands  it  falls,  will  seize  upon  it,  after  the 
first  taste,  as  if  it  were  a  rosy  ar  '.  juicy  peach  ;  which,  so  to  speak,  in 
a  figure,  it  very  nearly  is." — L\eranj  World,  Boston. 

Hezekiah  Butterworth,  in  the  Boston  Transcript,g&ya  of  "  NoGentlemcn" 
that  the  plot  is  well  managed,  and  the  story  brightly  told. 

"  No  Gentlemen." 

"  The  story  opens  in  Boston,  and  concerns  New  England  life.  The  char 
acters,  relative  to  the  soil,  are  very  clearly  drawn,  and  there  is  a  great 
deal  of  originality  in  the  plot  and  treatment  of  the  story." — Boston 
Courier, 

"  It  is  a  bright  narrative  of  the  summering  of  a  half-dozen  Boston  girls  just 
out  of  school,  at  Red  Farm,  in  Plneland,  with  Miss  Hopeful  Bounce, 
who  advertises  for  summer  boarders,  but  '  No  Gentlemen.'1  In  order 
to  make  a  novel,  of  course  this  prohibition  must  be  broken  down,  and 
as  the  girls,  particularly  the  heroine  and  her  special  friend,  are  pleas 
ant  company,  the  story  is  as  readable  as  if  it  were  a  'No  Name,'  as 
It  is  in  f act."— Springfield  Republican. 

"  No  Gentlemen  " 

Is  issued  inelegant  style,  being  printed  on  fine  tinted  paper,  mak'ng  a 
book  of  348  pages,  bound  in  fine  cloth,  with  unique  side  stamp  in  black 
and  gold,  and  sold  at  the  low  price  of  $1.00,  by  the  publishers, 
HENRY  A.  SUMNER  &  COMPANY. 
805  WABASH  ATE., 


HAMMOCK    SERIES,    No.    4 


Sane  lunatic 


BY  THE   ATJTHOK   OF    "NO   GENTLEMEN." 


THE    CHICAGO    TRIBUNE    SAYS: 

"  'No  Gentlemen'  was  a  good  novel,  but  'A  Sane  Lunatic'  Is 
a  better  one.  Mrs.  Burnliam  has  a  good  deal  of  humor  and 
some  dramatic  skill.  Two  or  three  of  her  characters,  with 
the  clever  dialog  and  absurd  situations  would  furnish  ma 
terial  for  a  short  comedy  that  could  not  fall  to  take.  We 
commend  the  book  for  Summer  reading,  for  If  not  great  It  Is 
certainly  entertaining,  and  the  work  of  a  bright  woman  who 
bids  fair  to  become  a  very  well-known  novelist." 


THE    PHILAD'A    CHRONICLE-HERALD    SAYS: 

"We  can  assure  those  who  get  'A  Sane  Lunatic'  that  they 
will  have  a  thoroughly  enjoyable  book.  It  Is  a  story  of 
every-day  life,  told  In  charming  language,  with  a  plot  of 
strength  and  Intenseness." 


THE  BOSTON  SUNDAY  HERALD  SAYS: 

"  'A  sane  Lunatic'  Is  a  brightly  written  little  story,  told,  as  a 
good  story  should  be,  with  no  other  purpose  than  to  amuse. 
The  conversation  has  a  lightness,  ease  and  freshness  that 
does  not  permit  a  dull  line.  The  plot  Is  simple  enough, 
but  awakens  sufficient  speculation  and  surprises  to  maintain 
one's  Interest  to  the  end,  which,  of  course,  is  essential  to  a 
story  of  this  purely  entertaining  character.  The  best  fea 
tures  of  the  story  are  the  Individuality  of  the  characters, 
wlilcli  are  maintained  throughout,  and  the  healthy  tone 
of  the  whole  book." 


12mo,    325    pp.,    Cloth,    with  elegant  Black 
and  Gold  Side  and  Back  Stamps. 

PRICE,  $1.00. 


"HAMMOCK  SERIES" 


OFF  THE  BOOKS 


Nobei. 


BY  TOLER  KING. 


Gently  scan  your  brother  man, 

Still  gentler,  sister  woman; 

Though  they  may  gang  a  kennin'  wrang, 

To  step  aside  Is  human." 

— Burns. 


I2MO.   417    PP.    CLOTH.     PRICE,   $I.OO. 


CHICAGO: 
HENRY    A.    SUMNER   &    COMPANY. 

1882. 


WHAT  THE  PRESS  SAY  OF 


FROM  THE 

FRENCH 


OP 

ALBERT  DELPIT. 


MARRIAGE 


The  N.  Y.  Evening  Post,  of  April  ig,  says: 

"    "  The  story  is  told  with  cleverness,  and  there  is  an  intensity  of 
interest  in  it  which  only  very  cleverly  told  dramatic  stories  have." 

The  Pittsburgh  Telegraph,  of  April  9,  says: 

'  A  romance  of  remarkable  power,  but  decidedly  French  in  its 
many-sided  phases." 

The  Philadelphia.  Times,  of  April  32,  says :  _,     ' 

"  It  is  a  singularly  well-contrived  and  well-written  novel.     * 

*  *     As  a  further  indication  of  the  high  literary  standing  of  the 
book,  the  fact  may  be  mentioned  that  it  was  published  originally 
as  a  serial  in  the  Revue  des  Deux-Mondes." 

The  National  Journal  of  Education,  of  Boston,  for  April  15,  says : 

"  This  is  a  charming,  good  story.  *  *  *  A  book  in  such 
an  attractive  style  is  a  luxury." 

The  National  Literary  Monthly,  of  Toledo,  Ohio,  for  May,  says  : 

"This  is  a  thoroughly  interesting  story,  beautifully  told.     *     * 

*  The  book  before  us  is  a  noticeable  exception  to  this  general 
Aile  of  the  past.     From  first  to  last  the  language  is  chaste  and 
pure,  and  the  scenes  both  interesting  and  exalting.     It  teaches 
a  forcible  lesson." 

Inventors'  and  Manufacturers'1  Gazette,  of  Boston,  for  May,  says : 

"  Scenes  are  vividly  sketched,  and  to  the  life,  and  the  characters 
are  drawn  with  the  boldness  of  an  able  novelist.  It  will  be  read 
by  all  Classes." 

Unique  in  sty^e  of  binding.  Clearly  printed  on  fine  paper. 
Odette's  Marriage  is  offered  at  $1.00. 

Mailed,  post-free,  on  receipt  of  the  price  by  the  publishers, 

HENRY  A.  SUMNER  &  COMPANY, 

2  OS  WabatiU  Ave.,  CJiieatfo. 

Sale  by  all  Eook>,e*ers. 


AN    INSTANTANEOUS    SUCCESS. 


We,  Von  Arldens. 


I2mo,  487  pp.,  illustrated.     Cloth,  side  and  back  stamp.     Retail 
price,  $1.50. 

'We,  Von  Arldens 

"  Is  a  novel  which  can  not  fail  to  become  exceedingly  popular  with  that 
portion  of  our  people  who  find  in  a  well  written  romance  the  neces 
sary  gold  to  give  a  gilt-edged  finish  to  such  aspirations  as  may  give  a 
new  pleasure  to  existence."—  Albany  Post. 

We,  Von   Arldens. 

"This  is  an  amusing  story,  racy  in  style,  interesting  in  plan,  and  charm 
ing  in  delineation  of  characters.  ...  A  captivating  story."—  The 
Saturday  Evening  Pott,  of  San  Francisco. 

We,  Von   Arldens. 

"Full  of  life  from  beginning  to  end.  It  Is  one  of  those  lively  books  that 
are  always  in  demand."—  The  Grand  Rapids  Eagle. 

We,  Von   Arldens. 

"Miss  Douglas  has  written  a  very  pleasant  domestic  story.  The  family 
is  a  lively  one,  and  their  several  characters  are  deftly  drawn."  —  The 
Chicago  Evening  Journal. 

We,  Von   Arldens. 

"  There  is  a  good  deal  of  bright  anecdote  in  the  book."—  The  Troy  Timei. 

We,  Von   Arldens. 

"It  is  a  homelike  story  with  no  silly  nonsense  in  it.  .  .  .  It  ought  to 
have  a  large  sale."—  The  Commercial  Advocate,  of  Detroit. 

We,  Von   Arldens. 

"This  is  a  cleverly  contrived  story,  possessing  marked  originality  and 
interest."—  Philadelphia  Herald. 

We,  Von   Arldens. 

"A  lively,  rattling  story  of  county  and  village  life."—  Pittsburgh  Daily 
Post. 

We,  Von   Arldens. 

"A  spicily  written  story,  of  powerful  grasp  and  decidedly  Western 
texture.  We  have  been  exceedingly  favorably  impressed  with  the 
story,  and  think  our  readers  will  agree  with  us  in  this  opinion."  — 
Pittsburgh  Evening  Chronicle. 

We,  Von   Arldens. 

"It  is  a  very  spicy  book,  bubbling  over  with  wit  and  repartee  of  a  harm 
less  kind.  .  .  .  In  fact,  the  nook  is  a  very  pleasant  pill  to  take  for 
the  blues."—  Boston  Sunday  Herald. 

HENRY  A.  SUMNER  &  COMPANY, 

PUBLISHERS,  CHICAGO. 


A    NEW    AMERICAN    NOVEL. 


"In  many  respects  this  is  a  strong  story."—  Evening  Journal,  Chicago. 
"Spiritedly  written."—  Gazette,  Cincinnati. 

"The  writer  may  be  enrolled  in  the  list  of  successful  authors."—  Iowa 
State  Register. 

"  It  is  a  story  wrought  out  with  considerable  skill.  The  style  Is  graceful 
and  subdued,  and  although  there  are  several  sensational  incidents,  they  are 
treated  in  quite  an  artistic  manner,"—  Daily  Evening  Traveler,  Boston,  May 
17,1880.  - 

"Holds  the  attention  closely  from  beginning  to  end."—  Bookseiler  and 
Stationer,  Chicago,  May,  1880. 

•'The  story  is  not  overdrawn,  but  it  is  natural  and  life-like,  in  plot  and 
design,  so  much  so  that  it  does  not  read  like  a  novel,  but  a  true  history  of  a 
beautiful  life."—  Albany  (N.Y.)  Sunday  Press,  May  2,  1880. 

"  This  is  an  American  domestic  novel,  pure  and  clean,  and  beautiful 
In  all  its  elements."  *  *  Missouri  Republican,  St.  Louis.  May  8,  1880. 

"On  the  whole  'Her  Bright  Future'  is  above  the  general  average,  and, 
If  a  first  dash  into  authorship,  is  at  least  very  readable  as  well  as  unpre 
tending."—  Evening  Newt,  Philadelphia,  May  7,  1880 


o/n 

^b    to 
,   12i4io.,   310 


THE    HAMMOCK    SERIES.- No.  2. 


BAEBEKINE: 

The  Story  of  a  Woman's  Devotion. 

A  NOVEL. 

"  No  one  can  begin  this  story  without  reading  it  to  the  end, 
for  there  is  not  a  page  at  which  the  interest  flags,  and  it  is  almost 
impossible  not  to  feel  that  '  Barberine '  was  a  woman  of  history, 
and  not  of  fiction."— TV.  Y.  Herald. 

"The  plot  has  to  do  with'a  Russian  Nihilist  conspiracy,  and 
there  is  enough  love,  murder  and  politics  to  furnish  material  for 
half  a  dozen  novels." — Boston  Evening  Transcript, 

"  Chicago  publishing  houses  are  fast  coming  to  the  front  with 
good  books,  well  made,  and  sold  at  popular  prices.  This  is  one 
one  of  them,  a  volume  which  we  judge  from  a  cursory  glance,  will 
rind  many  readers  during  the  midsummer  weather.  It  is  not  a 
philosophical  treatise,  disguised  as  a  novel  by  a  bright,  well- 
written  story.  The  plot  is  well  laid,  and  the  language  in  good 
taste." — Albany  Sunday  Press. 

"  Few  novels  issued  during  the  last  half  year  are  of  more 
absorbing  interest.  It  is  a  story  of  a  life  of  self-sacrifice.  .  . 
There  are  some  fine  dramatic  effects  produced  by  weaving  into 
the  romance  an  insurrection  in  Poland,  life  in  St.  Petersburg,  a 
journey  to  New  York,  and  thence  to  San  Francisco  before  the 
days  of  the  railroad." — N.  Y.  Evening  Mail. 

"It  is  told  with  great  power,  and  in  a  strikingly  realistic 
manner." — Saturday  Evening  Gazette,  Boston. 

"  The  plot  is  intricate  and  exciting,  and  incidents  thickly 
crowded  and  natural." — St.  Paul  Pioneer  Press. 

"It  is  absorbingly  interesting." — American  Bookseller,  N.  Y. 

"  There  is  nothing  prosy  about  it  in  the  least,  but  overflows 
with  a  brilliancy  that  will  cause  it  to  be  read  by  thousands." — 
Commercial  Advertiser,  Detroit. 

"  This  is  a  charming  novel." — Daily  Evening  Post,  San  Fran 
cisco. 

I  vol.,    I2mo,  365  pages,  Cloth,  Red  and  Cold  Stamp. 

3E>rice,     ^  1  -O  O. 

Mailed,  post-paid,  on  receipt  of  price,  by  the  Publishers, 

HENRY  A.  SUMNER  &  COMPANY,  Chicago. 


WHAT  THE    PRESS    SAY   ABOUT 

A  Peculiar  People 


An  elegant  12mo  vol.  of  458  pages,  handsomely  bound  in  cloth, 


A  Peculiar  People. 

"The  recital  throughout  is  spirited,  and  the  book  as  a  whole  is  one  that 
may  be  read  with  pleasure,  for  the  information  it  imparts  and  for 
the  profitable  reflections  to  which  it  gives  rise." — Saturday  Evening 
Gazette,  Boston. 

A  Peculiar  People. 

"It  is  interesting  and  well  written."— The  Commercial,  Cincinnati. 

A  Peculiar  People. 

"An  entertaining  sketch  of  oriental  travel.  It  is  full  of  instructive 
description,  historical  references,  and  interesting  incidents."— Pitts 
burgh  Dispatch. 

A  Peculiar  People. 

"The  book  will  well  pay  perusal."— Albany  Sunday  Press. 

A  Peculiar  People. 

"There  is  not  a  dull  page  in  the  book;  it  will  have  many  admirers."— 
Daily  Monitor.  Concord. 

A  Peculiar  People. 

"We  commend  the  book  to  those  who  desire  home-travel  in  a  wonderful 
land  of  mystery  and  marvel,  of  poetry  and  prophecy,  of  philosophy 
and  promise."— Pittsburgh  Post. 

A  Peculiar  People. 

"The  scene  of  this  unique  story  is  laid  in  the  Orient,  in  and  near  Mount 
Lebanon.  A  pleasing  plot  runs  through  the  volume,  which  can  not 
fail  to  interest  the  reader."— Star  and  Covenant. 

A  Peculiar  People 

"The  style  is  fascinating,  and  shows  the  vigor  of  young  manhood,  while 
the  story  illustrates  the  wisdom  of  a  good,  just  and  holy  life." — 
Gospel  Banner,  Augusta. 


Mailed  on  receipt  of  price,  $1.25,  to  any  address,  by  the  Publishers, 

HENRY  A.  SUMMER  &  COMPANY, 

2O5    Wabash    Ave.,   CHICAGO. 


A     000  033  073     8 


.S" 


